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Our verdict
Fortini Junior 3+ (86/100, ₱990 for 400 g) is the only product here registered as a food for special medical purposes, and it is for a doctor or dietitian to direct. Of the everyday growing-up milks, Nido 3+ (84, ₱61.90 per 100 g) has the fullest label, Bonakid Pre-School Low Lactose (82, ₱156.50) says what is different about it, Ascenda Kid (72) and PediaSure Plus 3+ (63) are marketed for picky eaters and catch-up growth but make growth claims with no study.
Healthy children over 3 do not need a special milk drink. These products are for children a doctor or dietitian has advised about growth, feeding or a dietary need, and we cannot say that any of them suits a child. Only Fortini is a medical food; the other four are ordinary milk drinks marketed for particular needs. A high score describes the listing and the registration, not a child’s needs. This guide covers children aged 3 and above only; infant formula and special formulas for 1 to 3 years are outside it. This is general information, not medical advice.
We searched Shopee and Lazada on October 28, 2026 for growing-up milks and oral nutrition supplements for children 3 and above that are marketed for special feeding or nutrition needs: a medical food (Fortini Junior 3+), a low-lactose milk, and milks for picky eaters and catch-up growth. We read each finalist listing and shop record and looked each brand up in the FDA Philippines food register. Only products with a matching registration sold by an official store were ranked. Imports, look-alike sellers and “special needs” milks with disease claims went into the “careful with” table. Everyday growing-up milks that make no special claim are in our milk for kids 3 and above guide; PediaSure Plus appears in both guides.
₱61.90 to ₱247.50 per 100 g
Price per 100 g of the five ranked milks on 28 October 2026, from our calculation: Nido 3+ ₱61.90, Bonakid Low Lactose ₱156.50, Ascenda Kid ₱205.75, PediaSure Plus ₱212.97 and Fortini Junior ₱247.50. Fortini prepared as directed is ₱75.49 per 100 ml; Ascenda as directed is about ₱86.42 per 200 ml serving.
| Best choiceFortini Junior 3+ | Best value Nido 3+ |  Bonakid Low Lactose 3+ |  Ascenda Kid Four |  PediaSure Plus 3+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 86/100 | 84/100 | 82/100 | 72/100 | 63/100 |
| Our rating | |||||
| Best for | A medical food, directed by a clinician | Fullest label, lowest price | Low-lactose formula | Picky eaters and catch-up growth (marketing) | Hard-to-feed children (marketing) |
| Registered as | Food for special medical purposes | Ordinary milk drink 3+ | Ordinary milk drink 3+ | Ordinary milk drink 3 to 7+ | Ordinary milk drink 3+ |
| FDA record | FR-4000013113667 (to Jul 2029) | FR-4000013216698 (to Jul 2029) | FR-4000014347832 (to Apr 2028) | FR-4000011798930 (to Oct 2028) | FR-4000014814718 (to Jul 2030) |
| Ingredients and allergens in the listing | Ingredients; no allergen statement | Full list and allergens | Ingredients (partial) | No | No |
| Nutrition facts table | No | No | No | No | No |
| Claim to read carefully | “Catch-up growth” ratio | “Protect against cough and colds” | “Low lactose” (not quantified) | “Faster height growth in 3 weeks” | “Accelerating linear growth” |
| Pack and price | 400 g, ₱990 | 3 kg, ₱1,857 | 400 g, ₱626 | 400 g, ₱823 | 370 g, ₱788 |
| Per 100 g | ₱247.50 | ₱61.90 | ₱156.50 | ₱205.75 | ₱212.97 |
| Seller | Nutricia Philippines (official) | Nestlé & Wyeth Nutrition (official) | Nestlé Store (official) | Nestlé & Wyeth Nutrition (official) | Abbott Philippines (official) |
| Ratings (listing) | 4.99 from 145 | 4.95 from about 60 | 4.96 from about 95 | 4.96 from about 720 | 4.96 from about 1,066 |
| Listing problem | No nutrition table; “lactose free” beside milk caseinate | No nutrition table; unsourced protection claims | No lactose amount; glucose syrup first | Unsupported height claim | “Infants 3 years old”; no ingredients |
| Buy | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada |
Medical food or everyday milk: what is the difference
These points come from the listings and the FDA record and are General information, not medical advice.
- A growing-up milk is an ordinary food marketed for children over 3. Healthy children over 3 do not need one; we covered six in our milk for kids 3 and above guide.
- A food for special medical purposes is a different registration category. The FDA register describes Fortini Junior as a food “intended for the dietary management of malnutrition for 3 years old and above”, and its listing says it “must be used under medical supervision after full consideration of all the feeding options”.
- Nido 3+, Bonakid Low Lactose, Ascenda Kid and PediaSure Plus are registered as ordinary powdered milk drinks. “For picky eaters”, “catch-up growth” and “hard-to-feed child” are marketing phrases, not registration categories.
- Shopee files all five under “Growing-Up Milk (3+ years)”. That is a marketplace category and does not tell you which is a medical food.
- A medical food’s amount, dilution and duration are decided by a doctor or dietitian. The powder is not sterile: prepare each feed just before use, discard unfinished feeds, store the opened can sealed, and do not boil the formula or heat it in a microwave, as the Fortini listing says.
What the FDA record means for these products
These points are from the FDA Philippines verification portal.
- Foods are registered with FR- numbers and a validity date. Fortini Junior (FR-4000013113667, to 15 July 2029), Nido Toddler 3+ (FR-4000013216698, to 25 July 2029), Bonakid Pre-School Low Lactose (FR-4000014347832, to 29 April 2028), Ascenda Kid (FR-4000011798930, to 13 October 2028) and PediaSure Plus creamy (FR-4000014814718, to 18 July 2030) all match by name. None of the listings prints the number.
- Only Fortini is registered as a food for special medical purposes. The same brands also have infant and 1-to-3-year records, including low-lactose formulas for 1 to 3 years; we did not cover those.
- We found no FDA advisory naming these products. The FDA does issue advisories for infant formula and other nutrition products, so check the portal for the exact product before you buy.
- The portal returns only the first matches for a name, so a missing entry is not proof that none exists.
What the claims on these listings actually mean
| Claim | What it covers | What the listing does not say |
|---|---|---|
| “Energy nutrient dense oral nutrition supplement … dietary management of malnutrition” (Fortini) | The registered purpose of the product | Which child needs it; that is decided by a clinician |
| “Must be used under medical supervision” (Fortini) | A use restriction | Who supervises or for how long |
| “Lactose free” (Fortini) | No lactose added | That it is free of cow’s milk protein: the ingredient list includes caseinate from cow’s milk |
| “Low lactose content for easy digestion” (Bonakid) | A lower-lactose formula | How much lactose it contains |
| “Clinically proven to help deliver faster height growth in as early as 3 weeks” (Ascenda) | A growth claim for the product | The study, the children or the size of the effect |
| “Clinically proven to provide a hard-to-feed child optimal nutrition”; “accelerating linear growth” (PediaSure Plus) | A nutrition and growth claim | The study; growth is not shown by a listing |
| “Supports autism and focused growth” (other sellers’ milks) | A condition claim for a milk | Any registration or evidence; a food cannot treat autism |
Listings we would be careful with
| Product | What we found | Our check |
|---|---|---|
| Nutren Junior (Swiss imports, ₱1,849 to ₱2,458; shops with 2 to 8 followers) | Nestlé Health Science has a Philippine record for a “nutritional formula in powder for children above 3 years old”, but these are whole cans imported from Switzerland by tiny, new shops, one claiming use “before or after surgery”. | Not scored: import from unverified shops |
| Peptamen Junior (₱1,749 to ₱2,148; shops opened in 2023 to 2026) | Peptamen is registered as a food for special medical purposes for patients, but these “Junior” listings come from shops with 1 follower and 0 to 19 ratings. Nestlé’s own stores sell Peptamen on Lazada. | Not scored: unverified sellers, name not matched |
| Neocate Junior (₱1,948 to ₱3,389) | Nutricia sells Neocate Syneo (an infant formula) officially; the “Junior” listings are US imports from new or unknown shops. | Not scored: imports; infant products are outside this guide |
| “IQ Gold Milk” and colostrum milks “for autistic kids with slow speech” (₱962 to ₱1,701) | Disease claims on a milk, with no registration found for those claims. | Not scored: claims a food cannot make |
| Fortini Infant and Neocate Syneo (₱1,500 to ₱6,000) | Infant formulas, which this guide does not cover. | Not covered: infant formula |
| Nido, Ascenda and Bonakid from reseller shops (₱482 to ₱2,242) | The same brands from small or fashion-store shops, with no official badge. | Not scored: buy from the official Nestlé, Wyeth or Abbott stores |
If a doctor or dietitian has advised an oral nutrition supplement or a special milk
These points are general information, not medical advice.
- Ask which product, how much, how often, how to prepare it and how long to continue, and write it down.
- Ask about allergies. Fortini contains cow’s milk caseinate and soy lecithin; Nido 3+ contains milk, lactose, fish and soya; Bonakid Low Lactose is lower in lactose but is still a milk product.
- Buy the exact product the doctor named, from the brand’s official store, and check the expiry date on arrival (Fortini and Nido print it differently from a month-day order).
- Prepare it exactly as the label says and do not keep prepared feeds.
- Ask when the child should be reviewed, and tell the doctor if the child is unwell or not tolerating it.
This guide cannot tell you whether a product suits a child. If you are worried about a child’s growth or eating, see a pediatrician or dietitian.
Our picks
The only 3+ product here registered as a food for special medical purposes, sold by its maker’s official store
1. Fortini Junior 3+ Energy Nutrient Dense Oral Nutrition Supplement, 400 g (Nutricia Philippines)
ShopeeLazada86/100
Fortini Junior 3+
FR-4000013113667
1.5 kcal per ml
₱75.49 per 100 ml
| FDA status | Exact match: “Nutricia Fortini Junior”, FR-4000013113667, GB Distributors Inc., valid to 15 July 2029, registered as a food for special medical purposes for the dietary management of malnutrition for children 3 years and above. No advisory found. The listing does not print the number. |
| Label statements in the listing | “Energy nutrient dense oral nutrition supplement intended for the dietary management of malnutrition for 3 years old and above”; “must be used under medical supervision after full consideration of all the feeding options”; dosage “should be determined by a clinician or dietitian only” |
| Composition stated | 1.5 kcal per ml; 3.4 g protein per 100 ml; 9% of energy from protein; lactose free; 28 vitamins and minerals; ingredients include maltodextrin, vegetable oils, caseinate from cow’s milk, sucrose and soy lecithin |
| Preparation and storage stated | 30.5 g powder (5 level scoops of 6.1 g) in 75 ml of water makes 100 ml; 61 g in 150 ml makes 200 ml; use within 2 hours; do not refrigerate the powder; use within one month of opening; “not sterile”; do not boil or microwave |
| Missing | Nutrition facts per serving, an allergen statement, the FR registration number |
| Seller | Nutricia Philippines (Shopee official store since May 2020, 20,023 followers, 4.89 shop rating, 100% response). Listing 4.99 from 145 ratings. Also sold by Shopee Supermarket and by Nutricia Philippines on Lazada (LazMall). |
| Price | ₱990 for a 400 g can on 28 October 2026: about 13 prepared servings of 100 ml, ₱75.49 per 100 ml, ₱150.98 per 200 ml feed. Bundles cost the same per can. |
The product the brief asked for, and the only 3+ product we found that is registered as a food for special medical purposes and sold by its maker’s official store on Shopee and Lazada. The listing states its energy and protein, its full ingredient list, how to prepare and store it, and says plainly that a clinician or dietitian decides the amount.
It does not give a nutrition table or an allergen statement, and it calls itself “lactose free” while the ingredient list contains cow’s milk caseinate. Treat it as a medical food: it is for a doctor or dietitian to direct, not for everyday use.
Why it scored well
- Exact FDA record as a food for special medical purposes, valid to 2029
- Official maker store; 145 ratings at 4.99; same price on Lazada
- Supervision, dosage and preparation statements are clear
Watch-outs
- No nutrition table per serving or allergen statement
- Cow’s milk caseinate despite “lactose free”; check with a doctor
- Sold in a “growing-up milk” category although it is a medical food
84/100
Nido 3+
FR-4000013216698
₱61.90 per 100 g
No added table sugar
| FDA status | Exact match: Nestlé Nido Toddler 3+ “pre-school powdered milk drink for kids above 3 years old”, FR-4000013216698, Nestlé Philippines, valid to 25 July 2029. An ordinary milk drink, not a medical food. No advisory found. The listing does not print the number. |
| Label statements in the listing | “No added table sugar”; “not a breastmilk substitute and not suitable for infant feeding”; for children 3 to 5; use within 2 weeks of opening |
| Ingredients and allergens stated | Skimmed milk, maltodextrin, lactose, vegetable oils, whey permeate, milk fat, minerals, soya lecithin, flavours, algal oil, vitamins, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, taurine; contains milk (including lactose), fish and soya |
| Claims | “Protect your toddler against cough and colds with 1 billion probiotics”; “protect learning and brain development” |
| Missing | Nutrition facts per serving, a feeding table in the text we read |
| Seller | Nestlé & Wyeth Nutrition (Shopee official store since July 2018, 311,073 followers, 4.92 shop rating, 100% response). Listing 4.95 from about 60 ratings; search shows 250 sold. |
| Price | ₱1,857 for 3 kg on 28 October 2026, ₱61.90 per 100 g |
An everyday growing-up milk with an exact FDA match, the fullest ingredient and allergen list in this guide, a “no added table sugar” statement and the lowest price per 100 g.
It contains lactose and cow’s milk, so it is not for a child who cannot take them, and its “protect against cough and colds” lines have no source.
Why it scored well
- Exact FDA match, valid to 2029
- Full ingredients and allergens stated
- ₱61.90 per 100 g, the lowest
Watch-outs
- Contains lactose and milk protein
- “Protect against cough and colds” has no source
- No nutrition facts table
82/100
Bonakid Low Lactose 3+
FR-4000014347832
₱156.50 per 100 g
L. reuteri probiotic
| FDA status | Exact match: Bonakid Pre-School Low Lactose “powdered milk drink for kids over 3 years old”, FR-4000014347832, Wyeth Philippines, valid to 29 April 2028. An ordinary milk drink, not a medical food. No advisory found. The listing does not print the number. |
| Label statements in the listing | “Low lactose content for easy digestion”; probiotic L. reuteri “to help support normal digestion”; “immunity support nutrients”; “growth support nutrients”; “high in protein” |
| Ingredients stated | Glucose syrup, maltodextrin, vegetable oils (palm olein, rapeseed, coconut, sunflower), milk protein, minerals and others (list is long) |
| Preparation stated | Boiled and cooled water first, then powder; follow the feeding table; use within 4 weeks of opening |
| Missing | The amount of lactose, nutrition facts per serving, an allergen statement in the text we read |
| Seller | Nestlé Store (Shopee official store since June 2018, 2,207,715 followers, 4.92 shop rating, 100% response). Listing 4.96 from about 95 ratings; search shows 435 sold. |
| Price | ₱626 for 400 g on 28 October 2026, ₱156.50 per 100 g |
A growing-up milk that says what makes it different (a low-lactose formula and a probiotic), with an exact FDA match and hedged wording (“to help support normal digestion”).
“Low lactose” is not quantified, glucose syrup is the first ingredient, and the listing has no nutrition facts table or allergen statement. A child with a diagnosed lactose or milk problem should have a doctor’s advice on any milk drink.
Why it scored well
- Exact FDA match, valid to 2028
- Hedged claims (“help support normal digestion”)
- Official store, 2.2 million followers
Watch-outs
- “Low lactose” is not quantified
- Glucose syrup is the first ingredient
- No nutrition table or allergen statement
72/100
Ascenda Kid Four
FR-4000011798930
₱205.75 per 100 g
2 servings a day
| FDA status | Exact match: Ascenda Kid “powdered milk drink for children aged above 3-7+ years old”, FR-4000011798930, Wyeth Philippines, valid to 13 October 2028. An ordinary milk drink, not a medical food. No advisory found. The listing does not print the number. |
| Label statements in the listing | 100% dairy protein; lactose, no added sucrose; 38 growth nutrients; “a taste picky eaters love”; “use with a varied, balanced diet” |
| Preparation stated | 2 servings per day; 7 scoops (about 42 g) plus 170 ml of cooled boiled water makes 200 ml; warnings about unboiled water, incorrect dilution and unfinished servings |
| Claims | “Clinically proven to help deliver faster height growth in as early as 3 weeks”; “specially formulated for catch-up growth” |
| Missing | A named study, an ingredient list and allergen statement in the text we read, nutrition facts per serving |
| Seller | Nestlé & Wyeth Nutrition (Shopee official store since July 2018, 311,073 followers, 4.92 shop rating, 100% response). Listing 4.96 from about 720 ratings; search shows 2,000 sold. |
| Price | ₱823 for 400 g on 28 October 2026, ₱205.75 per 100 g, about ₱86.42 per 200 ml serving |
Spells out the serving (42 g in 170 ml, twice a day) and carries clear preparation and safety warnings from an official store with 720 ratings.
The “faster height growth in 3 weeks” claim names no study, and the listing says nothing about ingredients or allergens. A child who is small or a poor eater should be assessed by a doctor.
Why it scored well
- Exact FDA match, valid to 2028
- Serving size, frequency and safety warnings stated
- Official store, 720 ratings at 4.96
Watch-outs
- “Faster height growth in 3 weeks” names no study
- No ingredient list or allergen statement in the text we read
- ₱205.75 per 100 g
63/100
PediaSure Plus 3+
FR-4000014814718
₱212.97 per 100 g
1,066 ratings
| FDA status | Exact match: PediaSure Plus “preschool age powdered milk drink for children above 3 years old (creamy milk flavor)”, FR-4000014814718, Abbott Laboratories, valid to 18 July 2030. Registered as an ordinary milk drink, not a food for special medical purposes. No advisory found. The listing does not print the number. |
| Label statements in the listing | “Clinically proven to provide a hard-to-feed child optimal nutrition”; “100% of daily Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes”; 5 scoops with 190 ml of water |
| Claims | “2X growth improvement”; “2X calcium absorption”; added arginine “to help trigger the release of growth hormones, accelerating linear growth” |
| Inconsistent text | “For infants 3 years old” and “milk formula for infant and child nutrition” on a registered 3+ milk drink |
| Missing | Ingredients, allergens, scoop weight, nutrition facts per serving, a named study |
| Seller | Abbott Philippines (Shopee official store since September 2017, 508,809 followers, 4.94 shop rating, 100% response). Listing 4.96 from about 1,066 ratings; search shows 3,000 sold. |
| Price | ₱788 for 370 g on 28 October 2026, ₱212.97 per 100 g |
The best-known brand for children who are hard to feed, from Abbott’s own store, with 1,066 ratings and an exact FDA match as an ordinary milk drink.
The listing has no ingredients or nutrition table, mixes up “infants” and “3 years old”, and makes growth claims (growth hormone, “2X”) that name no study. It is not a medical food.
Why it scored well
- Exact FDA match, valid to 2030
- Official store, 1,066 ratings at 4.96
- Best-known brand
Watch-outs
- No ingredients, allergens or nutrition table
- “Infants 3 years old” wording is wrong
- Growth-hormone and “2X” claims have no study
How to choose and buy a specialty growing-up milk on Shopee or Lazada
- Buy only the product a doctor or dietitian named, in the size they named.
- Buy from the brand’s official store (Nutricia Philippines, Nestlé Store, Nestlé & Wyeth Nutrition, Abbott Philippines).
- Compare price per 100 g and per serving, not per tin (₱61.90 to ₱247.50 per 100 g here).
- Read the claims: “faster growth”, “accelerating linear growth” and “protect against colds” have no study behind them.
- Do not buy cans imported from other countries from new or tiny shops.
- Avoid any milk that promises to treat autism, slow speech or another condition.
How we researched this guide
We searched Shopee and Lazada for Fortini Junior 3+, PediaSure, Ascenda Kid, Nido 3+, Bonakid Pre-School, Nutren Junior, Peptamen Junior, Neocate Junior, growing-up milk 3+ and oral nutrition supplements on October 28, 2026 and read each finalist listing and shop record. We looked each brand up in the FDA Philippines verification portal (food registrations and advisories) and recorded the FR- numbers and validity dates. We scored each product with our published rubric: provenance and registration (25), disclosure (20), claims (20), consistency (10), seller record (15) and value (10). We did not use or test any product.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It covers children 3 and above only; infant formula and special formulas for 1 to 3 years are outside it. Only Fortini is a medical food. We could not verify any seller’s stock, batch or expiry date. This guide has not yet been reviewed by our health content reviewer (a pediatric dietitian’s review is advised), and we have not checked the Shopee affiliate programme’s rules for this category.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fortini Junior 3+ a growing-up milk?
It is sold in the growing-up milk category, but the FDA register and the label describe it as a food for special medical purposes for the dietary management of malnutrition in children 3 and above, to be used under medical supervision.
Is Fortini Junior 3+ FDA registered in the Philippines?
Yes: "Nutricia Fortini Junior", FR-4000013113667, registered to GB Distributors Inc. and valid to 15 July 2029.
Which of these is a medical food?
Only Fortini. Nido 3+, Bonakid Low Lactose, Ascenda Kid and PediaSure Plus are registered as ordinary powdered milk drinks for children above 3.
Which is cheapest per 100 g?
Nido 3+ at ₱61.90 per 100 g on 28 October 2026 (3 kg tin), then Bonakid Low Lactose at ₱156.50.
Does a low-lactose milk suit a child with lactose intolerance?
We cannot say. Bonakid Low Lactose does not state how much lactose it contains. Ask a doctor or dietitian.
Does Ascenda Kid make children grow faster?
The listing says "clinically proven to help deliver faster height growth in as early as 3 weeks" but names no study. We cannot say it does.
Who decides how much to give?
For Fortini, a clinician or dietitian, as the listing says. For any milk, ask your child's doctor.
Did you test these products?
No. We read the listings, checked the shops and the FDA portal, and scored what the sellers put in writing.
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