Abstract: The present disclosure relates to milk-based nutritional compositions for pediatric subjects and to corresponding methods of using the nutritional compositions to promote health and development. The nutritional compositions comprise docosahexaenoic acid, choline and phytonutrients, such as apple extract, grape seed extract, or mixtures thereof. The nutritional compositions are believed to be useful in promoting visual health, gastrointestinal health, immune function and cognitive development and function in infants and children, and the compositions may be administered via a staged nutritional feeding regimen. The disclosure further relates to nutritional compositions that maintain desirable organoleptic properties after addition of phytonutrients to a milk-based matrix and still further relates to methods for producing the same.