Double kids' vitamin D, say docs

What kinds of foods are good sources for vitamin D? Let's see:

• salmon
• mackerel
• tuna
• sardines
• fortified milk
  

Except for milk, nothing on that list is typical kid-friendly fare, making it difficult for parents to help kids get enough vitamin D in their diet.

That job just got a little tougher. The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that kids get 400 units of vitamin D daily, twice the past recommendation of 200 units. The most efficient way to get vitamin D is by exposing skin to the sun, but with winter on its way, that's just not practical for parents in northern climates.

Though milk is a source of vitamin D, to get a full daily allowance from milk alone, kids would have to drink four cups of it. Since most doctors recommend kids drink two cups of milk a day, beef up your kid's vitamin D by making those fatty fishes more palatable.

If your kid is a dipper, try serving salmon (choose wild-caught Alaskan) or mackerel with different dipping sauces. My own kids love it in ketchup, but I also make a dill sauce that they just can't get enough of. (Two parts fat-free mayo, one part dijon mustard, and a healthy scoop of fresh or dried dill). Sweeten tuna salad with fresh apples, and get creative in the way you serve it -- in pinwheel sandwiches, for instance or on bread, cut into interesting shapes. Egg yolks also contain a small amount of vitamin D.

As far as sardines ... well ... if you have any suggestions for getting kids to eat sardines, let me know!

Of course, most experts recommend that kids and adults eat no more than two servings of certain kinds of fish each week due to mercury concerns, and tuna, salmon, and mackerel are on that list. That's good incentive to get your kiddo out into the sunshine for some additional vitamin D and some physical fitness -- maybe for a game of tag or Frisbee with Mom and Dad!

As far as vitamin D supplements, that's between parents and their pediatricians. For a full list of vitamin D rich foods, read more.