will they ever like nut/seed milks?

[Clare]

My boys have been drinking organic soy milk since they were weaned off of raw goat (they're adopted). I just bought the Soybella machine so that I could make them raw nut/seed milks. The only problem is that they are not drinking much. They take a sip and give up. The 3-year-old even whined when he saw me operating the Soybella the other day saying he didn't like that kind of milk. Yes, I sweetened it with maple and even sucanat. Delicious - these kids are crazy. They are 18 months and 3. Did any of you parents transition your kids to these raw milks and they grew to like them? I know they are not necessary, nutritionally speaking, but they are good and now that i spent $100 I totally want to use this machine!

[GypsiAnsara]

I use raw agave to sweeten everything. It's just sweet, no flavor like maple and sucanat have.

If I were you, just make the mylk and then mix it maybe 1-to-3 with the soymilk they like. Not enough that the taste is much different - and *gradually* increase the homemade mylk until they're totally on the other kind. That might take a while.

Use a different container for your soymilk. Pour it out of the commercial carton as soon as you get it, so they don't associate the flavor with the packaging. Keep your homemade mylk in a similar container (mark it so you know!).

Good luck!

[cherries]

About two days ago I read about making banana milk by blending bananas with water, it sounds easier than mashing bananas and feeding with spoon! I wish I had tried that when my kids were younger.

I could never get my kids to drink nut milk either. I make nut candy for them instead.

I put a cup or so of raisins (or other dried fruit) in the food processer and add a few tbsps of coconut oil and a cap-full of vanilla and process until it's broken up.
Grind various nuts in a coffee grinder (about the same amount of nuts as the dried fruit) and add them to the dried fruit and process until mixed. If I want it sweeter, I add agave nectar. I used to add carob powder to this until I discovered that I liked it better without carob.
On a big dinner plate, spread a peice of wax paper that's twice as wide as the plate. Dump the mixture onto the plate and fold the wax paper over and push down on it spreading the mixture out to the edges of the plate. Stick it in the freezer and in about 15 min it will get hard. (the coconut oil gets hard fast) and then break off chunks and eat it, or cut it with a pizza cutter.

[Clare]

Thanks you both for the suggestions...

I totally love the mixing and changing containers :-) I have been doing that with juice. They love having one of those Starbucks bottles of "green machine" smoothie after Sunday Mass so I saved a few and washed them and I put juice in them from my juicer and they go for it, where they wouldn't drink it from their sippies.

I will try the mix and wean. Maybe the agave too, though it is so expensive. I already use a little stevia so that I can use less sucanat. Maybe the flavor is the problem. I never thought of that since i I always have loved maple and brown sugar flavors.

[Rawkinlocs]

Clare, what kind of nuts/seeds are you using? I know that some mylks have distinctive flavors depending on what type of nut or seed you are using.

When I make nut mylk (I do an almond/cashew blend) I add about a capful of vanilla, agave and a little bit of sea salt. For ME, personally, flavor-balancing was very important. I could not stand the taste of straight-up almond milk but enhancing it with those few things (plus mixing with cashews) really did the trick for me. I actually have a recipe on my site: http://eatlivingfood.com/recipes.htm

I'll just say that my 5-year old loves it...in grawnola or even alone just to drink. Also, have you considered adding some carob for "chocolate" or strawberries for strawberry mylk?

But if the soy milk they drank/drink is vanilla and not the plain, adding vanilla just might do the trick. But since they are "hip" to you making it, I like GypsiAnsara's suggestions too!

Cherrie's suggestion of banana milk is a good one too! I used to make banana milk and use it in my organic "rice crispies" cereal when I was transitioning to raw.

[juliebove]

I never liked milk of any kind. Still don't. Don't think I ever will. My daughter has not liked any nut or hemp milks except for Amazake in the frozen form. Not raw, I know. It is made of almond or hazlenut. She will drink it as a frozen shake. I think freezing it somewhat lessens the taste or something. I don't know. I never liked frozen stuff either.

[GypsiAnsara]

Oh yes - the salt is really important. My daughter always says "It tastes like water!" when I forget the salt. I usually use 2 pinches of himalayan salt with about 4 cups of mylk, then the agave to taste.

I forgot to say that we tried pretty much every nut and also sunflower seeds before we tried hemp, and then she finally liked the taste.

[Clare]

Thank you all!

The salt is key for sure, as far as my tastes go. I just figured that one out. Thank you, Rawkinlocs, for your site link and recipe. The "rawnch dressing" title gave me a laugh, too, and it looks great. The best combo I have tried so far for the kids is almond/walnut (3/4 almond). They don't like any sesame in there, though they like tahini and sesame in their "cookies". Pumpkin seeds weren't a hit either. I have some sunflower seeds coming in the mail...I think I will order some cashews since I can't get them unroasted here.

[rawfoodmommy#1]

My son is 2 1/2 years old and has been raw since birth but he does not like any kinds of nut milks. I have tried several times but no he does not like them. I think it something that you just have to keep offering and eventually they will like it if you keep giving it too them. Also, for the older son if you make for example almond milk add some raw cacao powder to make it chocolate milk. It will taste much better to him.