Skip The Milk: These 5 Foods Pack Just As Much Calcium

Growing up, we all heard that to grow big and strong, we had to drink our milk. Spurred by "got milk?" campaigns and aggressive dairy industry lobbying, parents across the United States became convinced that the only way to protect their kids' bones was to feed them a hearty glass of milk with every meal. To be fair, cow's milk does come with plenty of health benefits, especially for growing children. For a beverage, it packs an impressive punch of protein and fat, and it's full of essential nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals. The calcium content in milk — around 300 milligrams per serving — has become particularly famous for helping promote healthy bones.

Still, not all of us enjoy the taste and texture of a tall glass of milk with our meals. Even more to the point, not all of us can stomach it. About 36% of Americans have trouble digesting lactose, according to the National Institutes of Health, and that number's much higher in other parts of the world. While there are some kinds of cow's milk that lactose-sensitive people can drink, many end up cutting it out of their diets entirely. If you're one of them, don't worry — you're not destined for a life of brittle bones and weak teeth. There are plenty of foods out there with just as much calcium as a glass of milk that you might find more appealing. Given that the recommended daily value of calcium is between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams for adults, it's good to have options.

There's a reason why dairy is considered a particularly reliable source of calcium. It's naturally produced by cows and secreted into their milk, which is then turned into the dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, that we all know and love. Calcium in dairy is also considered more bioavailable than in most plant-based sources, meaning it's more accessible to the body. That doesn't mean whole milk is the end-all and be-all of calcium sources — yogurt contains even more (up to 488 milligrams per serving).

That number is attributed specifically to plain, nonfat yogurt. Other kinds might have slightly less calcium, such as low-fat Greek yogurt, which has about 261 milligrams per serving. Still, eating a bowl of yogurt and fruit for breakfast is a tasty way to get a hearty serving of protein and calcium. Surprisingly, it's also fairly low in lactose and contains helpful bacteria that assist in breaking down lactose, meaning it's much easier for lactose-sensitive people to digest. If you're not partial to yogurt on its own, it's easy to incorporate into recipes for added nutrients and creamy texture. We especially like adding high-protein Greek yogurt into everything from Jell-O to a super easy pizza dough.

These rich, salty little fishes have sometimes been overlooked by American consumers in favor of more mainstream salmon or tuna. In recent years, however, they've become something of a fashion trend (sardine girl summer, anyone?) and been rebranded as a chic Mediterranean snack. Whether or not you emblazon tins of sardines on your clothes, we definitely think you should crack open a can to eat.

In addition to being a fantastic, low-calorie source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and protein, canned sardines also contain 325 milligrams of calcium. That's significantly more than canned salmon or shrimp (both offer less than 200 milligrams). Sardines are fun to eat straight out of the tin, maybe with some salt, a dash of lemon, and a side of crostini or crackers. You can also get more creative with your sardine serving — try using them in pasta, tacos, or an aromatic curry.

When we scanned the lists of the highest-calcium foods and saw frozen mac and cheese, our hearts skipped a beat. Could it be? The ultimate lazy day comfort food is also an ultimate source of bone-healthy calcium? According to the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, the answer is yes. It says frozen mac and cheese contains an estimated 325 milligrams of calcium. It makes a lot of sense; cheese is a dairy product and thus a good source of calcium on its own. In fact, BHOF also says that 1 ounce of cheddar cheese has 205 milligrams of calcium; since a package of mac and cheese likely contains more than 1 ounce of the stuff, those numbers check out.

Of course, no one is saying that frozen mac and cheese is some kind of health food. It's generally high in calories, sodium, and saturated fat, so the benefits of calcium are kind of outweighed. Still, if you're looking to reach your calcium goals with the occasional weeknight dinner, go ahead and zhuzh up some frozen mac and cheese. Bonus points if you manage to add a calcium-rich veggie such as spinach into the mix.

Technically, there are leafy greens with more calcium than collard greens. Edible weeds, such as lambsquarters and nettles, top the calcium hierarchy with over 400 milligrams, but let's be honest — most of us aren't eating them on a regular basis. Collard greens, on the other hand, are familiar and accessible — especially for anyone who grew up in the South — and still chock-full of calcium with around 268 milligrams per serving.

They're also an incredibly versatile vegetable. In soul food and Southern cuisine, collard greens are often slow-cooked in broth with smoked and salted meats for a tender, homey side dish. Though raw collard greens have a reputation for bitterness, when tenderized, cut thin, and smothered in tasty dressing, they make a great kale-like salad base. You can also use a whole collard green leaf to make healthy wraps, a nice hack for anyone trying to lower their carb intake. If collard greens still aren't your thing, spinach, kale, and bok choy are also relatively high-calcium vegetables.

We're more used to thinking about orange juice as a vitamin C delivery system than a calcium one, but certain brands of orange juice — and other fruit juices, for that matter — can be major calcium boosters. That's because they're fortified, which means they have additional nutrients added during production. Lots of packaged foods are fortified, from milk to cereal to eggs, but calcium (and vitamin D) are the nutrients most commonly added to juice. They are produced that way to help consumers meet their recommended daily calcium intake.

Fortified orange or grapefruit juice can have as much as 350 milligrams of calcium per serving (though some sources quote a slightly lower number). Other common calcium-fortified products include almond milk, soy milk, and tofu. At the grocery store, make sure to look for juices with "fortified" or "calcium added" on the label. While it's still important to watch out for the high sugar content of citrus juice — and probably not a good idea to drink it every morning — it can come with some distinct nutritional benefits.