Buttermilk for Kids – Health Benefits and 8 Yummy Recipes

Looking for a yummy drink to battle the summer heat?

Need a healthy alternative to aerated drinks?

Looking for yummy summer snacks?

The answer to all your questions is in a glass of buttermilk. Today I bring to you the health benefits of buttermilk for kids with 8 variety recipes.

Not quite surprising right?

Buttermilk, tak, chaas, neer mor or morum vellam has always been a favorite for the hot summer months.

For me buttermilk brings back memories of vacation spent at my maternal grandparents' house. My granddad loved buttermilk and hence it was permanent fixture on the menu. My grand mom was an expert of sorts when it came too making the perfect buttermilk, that had a subtle tang and was properly seasoned.

I guess the secret was the fact that every item (except the salt) came from our backyard or in the case of the milk from their cows.

Being the first born grandchild meant an extra glass of this amazing drink. But coming to think of it, it could also be because as a kid, I hated milk and they just wanted to compensate. But I would rather believe that it was due to the fact that they considered me special 😛

Summers are here again and that's not our favorite season.

I know summer is here when my little one decides to go on a hunger strike. She goes on saint mode and tries to convince me that air should be considered food!

She has also given up on drinking her otherwise favorite water.

So I decided to route to other food items that she might like. She loves curd, so I thought why not try buttermilk?

Also Read: What is butter milk?

Buttermilk is a milk product.

Traditionally, the liquid left after churning butter out of cream. So there is practically little or no butter left in butter milk, surprising right? But nowadays not many make it that way.

Storing cream, fermenting it and then churning out the butter was a common sight in olden days. But now, buttermilk can also mean curd that has been diluted and beaten well.

Nutritional benefits of buttermilk

Buttermilk is rich in nutrients. It contains Calcium, vitamin D and other minerals.

It means that if your kid is not fond of milk, a glass of buttermilk will ensure that he/she gets his share of nutrients.

The nutritional benefits of buttermilk are as follows.

• Calcium - essential for strong bones and teeth.
• Vitamin D - helps the body absorb calcium
• Protein - required for growth
• Vitamin B12 - converts the glucose present in the blood to energy

Lack of Vitamin B12 can leave you feeling weak.

Bonus: the FREE printable of 8 buttermilk recipes you can try making for your kid.

Benefits of consuming buttermilk for kids:

Summer is known to sap the energy out of us and our little ones have it tough, so a glass of buttermilk can help boost their energy levels up.

The health benefits of buttermilk are as follows.

Buttermilk is a friend of the digestive system.

It aids digestion and is a good and efficient cure for loose motions. It helps to replenish the nutrients and water loss that occurs due to loose motion.

It is a probiotic drink that contains good bacteria that is essential for our body. It is beneficial for patients suffering from ulcers.

Buttermilk is good for curbing heart burn.

We Indians love our spices and often after a meal, we feel like our digestive tract is on fire. This wonder drink helps to prevent that. So it is good for expectant moms too.

Buttermilk is a wonderful summer drink as it helps to cool the body.

Buttermilk is a safe alternative to harmful colas as it doesn't contain any harmful chemicals or artificial color. This makes it completely safe for our little ones.

Difference between buttermilk and lassi:

Lassi and buttermilk were like the coke and pepsi of yesteryears. Well without any harmful side effects though. Though these are both milk products, the way it is made differs.

As I mentioned before buttermilk is the liquid leftover after you churn butter out of fermented cream. So the taste is a bit sour.

Lassi is made by blending water and curd together. Now you must be wondering what the difference between the easy buttermilk and lassi is. The simplest explanation is that lassi is thicker.

Lassi is sweet and often contains added cream to make it richer, whereas buttermilk is a weight watcher's friend, with way less calories than milk, curd or lassi. After all, all or most of the fat has been removed, when you take the butter out!

Is buttermilk safe for babies?

Buttermilk has the same proteins as found in the milk. This can be a major cause for allergies.

It might also cause cold and cough in babies.

Hence it is always better to start giving buttermilk made from diluted yogurt to your baby after 11 months.

If you want to start earlier, do check with your child's pediatrician.

When can you start giving buttermilk to kids?

Being a dairy product, I gave buttermilk the same treatment I gave cow's milk. I started giving buttermilk after my kiddo turned a year old. This was to avoid any allergies.

Can you give buttermilk during winter?

Yes. Make buttermilk from freshly set yogurt during winters.

Will buttermilk cause cold and throat infection in babies and kids?

Yes, it will if buttermilk is made from butter stored for long. Always try to give buttermilk made from diluted or freshly set yogurt to toddlers and kids.

Which is the best time to give buttermilk to my kid?

Anytime between 11 AM to 4 PM. Always offer buttermilk to kids during the day.

How to prepare buttermilk at home?

I will explain how to make some yummy buttermilk - both the traditional way and the short cut method.

Traditional way Ingredients Method

Boil the milk. While the milk is still lukewarm add a bit of curd. Make sure you mix it well.

Cover it with a lid and leave it overnight. I generally set it at night and wake to up to a container of yummy curd.

Once the curd sets use a butter churner.

The butter churner is not a complex piece of equipment. It is wooden stick like kitchen equipment with a star like attachment at the bottom. It used to be made of wood, but nowadays like everything else, you get a plastic variant too.

Dip the butter churner in the curd, by holding the wooden stick between the palms and slowly rub your palm together. Pretend it's still winter and you are trying to warm them up. After a bit of hard work you will see the results of your hard work that is the butter. It won't be much, but since you made it, it is bound to taste super yummy.

Wash off all the curd residue of the butter, so it stays for longer.

Now what you are left with is called butter milk.

Try doing it early in the morning as the heat may work against you as you won't get much butter. Plus, if you do it in the morning you have buttermilk to cool down when the heat sets in.

If you don't have a butter churner, a blender works just fine.

The next method is an easy way out if you are pressed for time.

The Short Cut

You can easily prepare some buttermilk if you have curd. If not don't worry, set some curd right away.

The ingredients required for this are:

Method

Take the curd and water in a container that facilitates mixing. You can add water depending on the curd.

If the curd is really thick then you will require more water. Mix well and you are done. Here the mixing is done for a very short while and the butter isn't removed.

8 Buttermilk recipes for toddlers and kids:

Bonus: the FREE printable of 8 buttermilk recipes you can try making for your kid.

The beauty of buttermilk is that you can make a variety of flavored variations of this simple drink. So that's why I have decided not to stop at one and share with some of the other favorites.

Here are the buttermilkvarieties you can try for your kid this summer.

#1. The Basic Jr.

Let us start with a very basic buttermilk.

Ingredients Method

The basic buttermilk is good for beginners as it is just seasoned with salt. You can start off with this simple drink.

#2. The Basic Sr.

This variety is what the adults call their basic. Like the previous one, this is easy to prepare too.

Ingredients

• Buttermilk -1 glass
• Black Salt - to taste
• Coriander leaves - a few leaves

Method

Here all you have to do is season the buttermilk with some black salt and add some chopped coriander leaves.

Though I called it the adults basic, doesn't mean kids can't have it. But when you are giving small children make sure the leaves are chopped really fine or omitted to avoid choking.

#3. Chaas, taak or chaach

Another variety of butter milk, chaas offers a very unique taste due to the roasted cumin seeds powder.

Cumin powder is good for digestion. Apart from that it cures cold, cough and boosts the immune system.

Fenugreek powder aids digestion, reduces gas and bloating. It is also good for the skin and hair. It is good for summer as it helps to cool the body down.

Asafoetida or devil's dung is also beneficial for the digestive system and is used in treating a host of digestive disorders.

Ginger is also a friend of your tummy. Apart from that it is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also used to cure cold and cough.

Ingredients

• Curd - ¼ cup or buttermilk- 1 cup
• Water - ¾ cup
• Cumin powder - ¼ teaspoon
• Fenugreek powder - a pinch
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Ginger (crushed) - a small piece
• Salt - to taste

Method

Blend all the ingredients together till it has mixed well. Serve in a kid friendly glass.

#4. Mint flavored butter milk

Mint leaves help to cure indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. It also used as a remedy to cure seasonal allergies, respiratory disorders, chest congestion and cold.

Ingredients

• Curd - 1/4 cup or butter milk - 1 cup
• Water - ¾ cup
• Mint leaves - a few leaves
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper - a pinch (optional)

Method

Puree the mint leaves. Blend the rest of the ingredients together till it has mixed well.

No garnish if the kid is younger than 3. For older kids, feel free to add a sprig of mint for a fancy restaurant feel.

#5. Curry leaf flavored butter milk

Ingredients

• Curd - ¼ cup or buttermilk- 1 cup
• Water - ¾ cup
• Curry leaf powder - ½ teaspoon

Blend the ingredients together and what you have now, is sheer goodness in a glass as it combines the goodness of buttermilk with the benefits of curry leaves.

Curry leaf powder can either be purchased or homemade. If you want to make it home then I will share with you the recipe I use.

Curry leaf powder recipe:

• Curry leaves (just the leaves) - 1 cup
• Urad dal - 1.5 teaspoon
• Bengal gram - 1.5 teaspoon
• Red chillies - according to spice level ( I use 2)
• Pepper corn - 2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds - 1.5 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

Wash and dry the curry leaves.

Dry roast all the ingredients except the leaves and salt. Keep it aside for it to cool. Next dry roast the curry leaves, ensure it doesn't burn. Once it turns crisp take it off the heat. Finely powder it with the rest of the ingredients and salt.

#6. Sambharam

Author's note: Every time I have this, I tend to have a 'Ratatouille' moment. I become a little girl, sipping sambharam prepared by my grand mom.

Ingredients

• Curd - 1/4 cup or buttermilk - 1 cup
• Water - ¾ cup
• Curry leaves - a few leaves
• Ginger - a small piece
• Green chilli - a small piece
• Salt - to taste

Method

Crush the curry leaves, ginger, green chilli in a mortar and pestle. Mix the curd and water and blend well. Add the crushed ingredients and season with the salt.

You can modify the level of heat based on your child's age and preference. Don't make it too spicy.

#7. Lemony butter milk Ingredients

• Curd - 1/4 cup or buttermilk - 1 cup
• Water - ¾ cup
• Lemon - 1/2
• Ginger - a small piece
• Salt - to taste

Method

Roughly crush the ginger. Mix curd and water. Add the ginger to the mix. Add the juice of half a lemon and season it with the salt.

#8. Cumin flavored butter milk

This made its way into the list because this kept me going during my pregnancy days.

Surprisingly my little one seems to love it too. It is easy to prepare and a delight for the senses.

Ingredients

• Curd - 1/4 cup or buttermilk - 1 cup
• Water - ¾ cup
• Roasted cumin powder - ¼ teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

Method

Blend all the ingredients together. Enjoy.

Precautions while giving buttermilk for toddlers and kids:

If you are introducing buttermilk for the first time, make sure your kiddo is not allergic to it.

Feel free to change the spice levels according to the age of your child. You can also add ice cubes during the blending process for older kids.

Mommies hope you liked the post on buttermilk for kids.

Is your little one fond of butter milk? Do you have any variety buttermilk recipe other than the ones mentioned?

Do share with me in comments.

If you have any doubts and comments, do share them with us. Till then, have fun beating the heat!