Grains, vegetables, fruits and even the fats and oils food groups are always on students’ plates, but many students neglect having a serving of dairy in their three important meals every day. Students may forget about this nutrient because it is not highly emphasized in society.

Dairy is just as important for optimal health as a salad or six servings of whole grains in students’ daily lifestyle. Dairy products not only provide rich sources of calcium and protein, but many sources also contribute to healthy amounts of vitamins A and D.

Every age group needs a certain number of servings of dairy per day, but how about college students? Amy Ellis, an assistant professor in the food and nutrition department, said optimal nutrition is especially important for teenagers because it helps their bodies grow at a sufficient rate.

“By age 30, [people] achieve peak bone mass, and we must accrue most of that peak bone mass by age 20, therefore, calcium and vitamin D are very important for college students,” Ellis said.

Students around campus have mixed thoughts about the incorporation of dairy into their daily lives. Some students like the taste of different types of milk-based products.

Brittan Scruggs, a freshman majoring in nursing, and Sarah Chaffee, a senior majoring in food and nutrition, both said they love the taste of plain milk. They have been drinking milk since childhood and cannot go a day without it.

Other students are not fond of milk-based products because their bodies do not respond well to the digestion of the sugar lactose. These students find other ways to incorporate dairy nutrients into their diets by simply drinking lactose-free milk options like rice or soy milk.

There are many options for students to incorporate more servings of dairy into their diets.

Yogurt: Any regular or Greek yogurt without any added sugars is great for on-the-go breakfast, lunch or even a quick snack. A trick to making yogurt healthier is buying plain yogurt and adding fresh fruit instead of buying yogurt containers with the fruit already prepared. This will save many sources of added sugar in your diet.

Low-Fat Cheese Sticks: Cheese sticks are also perfect for on-the-go snacking. Pair your cheese stick with a piece of fruit or some whole wheat crackers for a good balance of carbohydrates and protein.

Oatmeal: Make oatmeal tastier by cooking it in milk or pouring a serving of milk on top and adding fruit. Milk provides a great protein source, adding to the fiber in oatmeal, and the powerful antioxidants in fruit provide an energizing, balanced breakfast.

For students who are lactose intolerant, here are some great ways to still get lactose and the nutrients from milk they need in their diets:

Lactose-free milk: Although this type of milk product is slightly more expensive than regular milk, they have the lactose enzyme added, and these products taste a little sweeter than milk-based products.

Other dairy sources may be okay. Some people who are lactose intolerant can still eat other sources of dairy that are not as high in lactose, such as cheese or yogurt. It is important to understand how much lactose is in a milk-based product before consuming it.