Guide To Choosing the Best Full Cream Milk for Toddlers Singapore

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Hey mummies (and daddies), are you now at that stage where you’re wondering whether and when you need to transition to full cream milk for toddlers? Perhaps you have been hearing from your parent friends about switching to cow’s milk when your little one turns one? Well, they are right!

And it’s not just parents! The experts at the American Academy of Paediatrics recommend whole milk (a.k.a full cream) for toddlers between one and two years old. Yes over toddler formula too (I’ll go into detail later). The simple reason? Because full cream milk is packed with natural good stuff – fats and vitamins that fuel your growing little one. So….is this a sign to get some full cream milk for toddlers at your next supermarket run?

Hold up first! Before you grab the first carton at the supermarket, there’s a whole world of milk options – fresh or UHT, 100% milk or milk solids, and picking the perfect brand! Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Having gone through this transition with my little one (who turned one in June 2024) recently, all that research is still fresh in my mind. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about choosing the best full cream milk brand for your toddler in Singapore.

Let’s break it down step-by-step!

Transitioning To Full Cream Milk for Toddlers: Why The Switch?

You might be wondering, “Why mess with a good thing?” After all, if your baby’s happy with formula or breastmilk, why change it up? Here’s the thing:

Breastmilk: If your kid is still fully on breastmilk on top of their solids diet, there is no rush to make the switch. Think of it as a varied alternative in their diet for a source of calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other useful nutrients. But when you start weaning (usually recommended by 2 years of age), cow’s milk is the next best alternative.

Formula: While formula milk is convenient and something the baby is used to, toddler milk (not infant milk) specifically can be expensive and may not offer the same range of benefits as cow’s milk. The biggest downside however is, that many formula brands contain unnecessary added sugars, a major factor in childhood obesity – yikes!

Not convinced? There’s plenty of literature and expert opinions that agree that toddler milk just doesn’t make the cut. Here’s some you can read up on:

• American Academy Of Pediatrics Clinical Report Concluding Formula Milk is an Inferior option to Cows’ Milk
• Expert opinion article from Pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital & senior faculty editor for Harvard Health Publishing.
• Time Magazine Article: “Heavily Marketed ‘Toddler Milk’ Is Not Good for Your Child”

When to Transition?

So when should one transition? Generally, around 1 year old is a good timeframe to start introducing full cream milk. However, every little one is different, so it’s always best to consult your paediatrician for personalised guidance.

Fresh vs. UHT Milk: Your Two Main Choices

Now that you’ve decided to proceed with cow’s milk, let’s dive into the two main types of milk you’ll encounter:

• Fresh Milk: This milk comes straight from the cow, pasteurized (heated to kill harmful bacteria), and packaged for immediate consumption. It typically has a shorter shelf life (around a week) and needs to be refrigerated.
• 
  UHT Milk: This milk undergoes a harsher ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment that eliminates bacteria and extends shelf life (up to several months) without refrigeration. While convenient, UHT milk may have a slightly different taste due to the high heat processing.

Major myth debunked: UHT milk is inferior to fresh milk – it’s not true! While some nutrients like vitamins B and C might be lost slightly due to the higher temperature treatment, milk is NOT a major source of such vitamins in the first place. Other critical nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and potassium are not affected at all!

Pros & Cons of Fresh & UHT Milk

So which should you choose? Here are some pros and cons for you to decide what works better for you:

In my case, the convenience of bringing UHT milk out on the go without the need for ice packs, or chiller, won me over completely. I also don’t see any significant downside – as long as my girl accepted the taste (which she did!), I was happy to stick to UHT.

Which Brand Has The Best Full Cream Milk For Toddlers?

With so many brands on the market, it can be overwhelming to decide which is the best. But as with any baby products, there’s no one size fits all. Here are some important factors to consider, and you can then decide which works best for YOUR child:

• Position Sizes: Think about portion sizes and how often you shop. Do you need single-serve small packs for infant care, childcare, or travel? Larger cartons of 1L or even 2L for home use? Not all brands offer a variety of sizes – 1L is the most common.
• Shelf Stability: If you don’t have a lot of fridge space, UHT milk might be a good choice.
• No Milk Solids: Look for 100% milk on the label. But to be safe always check the ingredient list – some brands are sneaky with their packaging. Milk solids are dehydrated milk components that can be added to extend shelf life or thicken milk. While not necessarily harmful, 100% milk avoids unnecessary processing.
• Full Fat/Cream: Don’t be fooled by “low-fat” options for toddlers! Full cream milk provides essential fats for nutrient absorption and healthy development. Only choose full fat or cream options unless your paediatrician has indicated otherwise.
• Flavours: Just opt for the plain flavour. Any other added flavours only mean more sugars which is what you were trying to avoid by switching from toddler formula.
• Allergies: Do you have a lactose-intolerant baby? Some brands come with lactose-free options.
• Price: Since milk is a healthy staple in your child’s diet, you might want to consider your budget.
• Others: If you have considerations like the milk being organic, halal, and more, you should take note! Most brands are halal, but not all.

My Choice of Full Cream Milk Brand?

After shopping around, my final choice for my little girl is…

Why? Because this brand comes in convenient 200ml packets (which I use when I bring my baby out) as well as 1L ones. It’s 100% fresh milk. I trust NTUC as a brand. And also it’s one of the more affordable brands – to me, milk is milk is milk. I just wanted something healthy (not milk solids) and from a reputable brand. And this particular brand ticked all my boxes.

You’ll come to realize in many of my recommendations – that I don’t make my choices based on price but rather on value.

List of Full Cream Milk Brands in Singapore: Fresh & UHT Options

If you are not keen on standing at the aisles of the supermarket to look through the brands one by one, here’s a quick overview I’ve done up for busy parents like yourself!

P.S. I’ve looked mostly at the brands carried by Fairprice because it’s the most accessible supermarket chain in my opinion. If there are other exciting and great full cream milk brands that I’ve left out, do let me know and I’ll add them to make the list even more comprehensive.

Information is accurate as of 1 July 2024. If you are a brand owner and there are any changes to the ingredients, names, packaging, etc, please let me know if you would like for me to update it 🙂

24 UHT Full Cream Milk Brands in Singapore

Cowhead

• Cowhead UHT Pure Milk (3 x 200ml) (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• Cowhead UHT Milk – Pure Milk 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• Cowhead UHT Milk – Lactose Free 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )

Fairprice

• FairPrice UHT Kids Full Cream Packet Milk 6 x 200ml (NTUC)
• FairPrice UHT Milk – Full Cream 1L (NTUC)

F&N

• F&N Magnolia UHT Packet Milk – Fresh 6 x 250ml (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• F&N Magnolia UHT Milk – Fresh 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )

Harvey Fresh

• Harvey Fresh UHT Milk – Full Cream 1L (NTUC)
• Harvey Fresh UHT Milk – Lactose Free 1L (NTUC)

Meadow Fresh

• Meadow Fresh Full Cream Milk 6 x 250ml (NTUC)
• Meadow Fresh UHT Milk – Full Cream 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )

Dutch Lady (Milk Solids)

• Dutch Lady Princess UHT Kid Milk – Full Cream 4 X 125ml (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• Dutch Lady Pure Farm UHT Flavoured Milk – Full Cream 6 x 200ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• Dutch Lady UHT Milk – Full Cream (Plain) 1L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )

Marigold (Milk Solids)

• Marigold UHT Packet Milk – Full Cream 6 x 200ml (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• Marigold UHT Milk – Full Cream 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )

Paul’s (Some with Milk Solids)

• Paul’s Zymil UHT Milk – Full Cream (Lactose free) 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• Paul’s UHT Kids Milk – Original 4 x 110ml (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart ) – contains skimmed Milk Powder

Others:

• Amul Taaza UHT Full Cream Milk 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart ) – Made of Cow & Buffalo Milk
• Australia’s Own A2 Protein UHT Milk – Full Cream 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• Devondale UHT Milk – Full Cream 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart )
• Farmhouse UHT Milk – Fresh 1L (NTUC | Shopee | Lazada Redmart)
• True Dutch Organic Whole Milk 1L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart)
• Yotsuba Hokkaido Fresh Milk 200ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart)

Remember: This is not an exhaustive list, and it’s important to check the label for ingredients (look for 100% milk) and expiry dates before purchasing.‘

21 Fresh Full Cream Milk Brands in Singapore

Farm Fresh

• Farm Fresh Milk – Lactose Free 1L (NTUC)
• Farm Fresh Pure Fresh Milk – 2L (NTUC)

Greenfields

• Greenfields Fresh Milk – 1L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• Greenfields Fresh Milk – 1.89L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )

Meiji

• Meiji Fresh Milk – 200ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• Meiji Fresh Milk – 450ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart)
• Meiji Pasteurized Fresh Milk – 830ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart)
• Meiji Fresh Milk – 2L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart)
• Meiji Pasteurized Lactose Free Milk – 946ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart) – contains milk protein concentrate

F&N (Some with Milk Solids)

• F&N Magnolia Fresh Milk 946ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• F&N Magnolia Fresh Milk 1.89L (NTUC)
• F&N Magnolia Plus Fresh Milk – Lactose Free 946ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart ) – contains milk solids

Marigold (Some with Milk Solids)

• Marigold HL Milk 946ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart ) – contains milk solids
• Marigold HL Bottle Milk (Low in Lactose) 2L (NTUC) – contains milk solids
• Marigold 100% Fresh Milk 946ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• Marigold 100% Fresh Milk 2L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )

Others:

• Cowhead 100% Fresh Milk 1L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• FairPrice Fresh Milk 950ml (NTUC)
• Farmhouse Milk – Fresh 946ml (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• Stremicks Heritage Foods Vitamin D Organic Fresh Milk 1.89L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )
• Yotsuba Pasteurised Milk 1L (NTUC | Lazada Redmart )

Remember: This is not an exhaustive list, and it’s important to check the label for ingredients (look for 100% milk) and expiry dates before purchasing.‘

Choosing the Perfect Milk for YOUR Toddler

As you can tell by now, there’s no single “best” full cream milk brand for all toddlers in Singapore. The ideal choice depends on your family’s and your kid’s individual needs and preferences. Consider factors like convenience, shelf life, taste, and budget when making your decision. Most importantly, ensure the milk is full cream and preferably 100% milk with no added milk solids.

Find this article useful? Do help share this article with your fellow mummy and daddy friends and spread the love! It’s not easy putting all this information together and I do hope for more to benefit from it! For more baby essentials and helpful tips, check out our other articles here: