I Raise My Hand for Chocolate Milk! How about you?

I recently read that Chocolate Milk is under attack yet again by the media and health officials for being unhealthy for kids.  The very thought of banning Chocolate Milk from schools makes me cringe!  I remember my grade school years, and how often I would drink Chocolate Milk rather than "white milk".  It was a real treat to have Chocolate Milk, plus I was getting 9 essential nutrients (Calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D, B12, riboflavin and niacin ) in that awesome package, important for my then, growing body.  Studies have shown that by removing Chocolate/flavored milk from the lunch room, there was a dramatic reduction in overall milk consumption among kids, thereby lowering their daily intake of calcium, protein & potassium.  That's putting these kids at risk.  That carton (it's bottles now) of Chocolate Milk is the perfect balance between good nutrition and good fun! 

This nutrient package is difficult to find in other foods that are as affordable or appealing to kids.  Studies have shown that children who drink flavored milk…drink more milk overall, have better quality diets, do not have higher intakes of added sugar or fat, and are just as likely to be at a healthy weight compared to kids who do not consume flavored milk.  In fact, flavored milk contributes only 3 percent of the added sugars in children’s diets. Only a fraction!  Studies have also shown that athletes who refuel with Chocolate Milk, replenish stressed muscles faster than if they consumed a sports drink.

So, even after knowing this, as a parent, you still want to reduce the amount of sugar your child consumes.  No problem!  The dairy industry is working on that!  Recognizing that many schools want to reduce the sugar content in all their menu offerings, the dairy industry has taken action to reduce fat, calories and added sugars in flavored milk. Today, the majority of milk in schools is low-fat or fat-free, and the majority of flavored milk is at or below 150 calories.  The newer formulas for Chocolate Milk have 2 to 3 teaspoons of added sugar compared to 3 to 4 teaspoons of added sugar in traditional formulas.

Even today I enjoy Chocolate Milk.  I usually drink 1% "white" milk and fat-free Chocolate Milk...at the same time!  After a long morning of chores at the farm, I can be found at noon relaxing in our office with a turkey sandwich and a tall glass of Chocolate Milk.  I often find the chocolate flavoring of my milk to be a little over-powering, so I will mix my "white" and Chocolate Milk together in a 50/50 ratio.  Same delicious Chocolate Milk....with a little less sugar...so there's a tip for those mom's out there.  If you can't find a Chocolate Milk that suits your lower sugar requirements, just add a little "white" to lower the grams while still encouraging your children to have healthy habits for a long life! 

For more information about Chocolate Milk, check out: Raise Your Hand for Milk or on YouTube at

Kids Ask, I Tell...Part 2

Highlighting more great questions from the tours last week, here's a couple more!

3. How come the calves sleep alone in the calf huts? Where's their mommies?
Great question!  Calves are moved to calf huts within hours of birth.  We house our calves in huts, as we do not have an adequate calf barn.  These huts allow us to house our calves individually, protecting them from germs from other calves (like kids in kindergarten).  They are able to stay healthy in these environments.  It may seem lonely, but calves and peak outside their huts and see herd mates down the row.  Each of these huts work like individual "bedrooms" for the calves, where they enjoy space to run around and plenty of soft and dry bedding.  Their mommies, the cows are in the milking barn, where we are able to better care for our cows.  We can focus on giving these cows the nutrition and care that they need after having a calf, instead of the cow worrying about the newborn calf. 

4. Can you drink the milk fresh from the cows?
Well, that's a good question too.  And yes you could drink the milk fresh from a cow, but it would be very warm, about 100 degrees.  It would also be very thick-as most cow's milk has a higher butterfat content that that milk that we buy in the store.  Also, milk from cows should always be pasteurized before people can drink it.  Milk that is pasteurized is guaranteed to be free of disease causing bacteria.  Bacteria is everywhere in food production, pasteurization allows us to insure that those bacteria (good or bad) are not present. I don't know about you, but I would like to drink milk that is cold and free of bacteria. 

More fun questions to come tomorrow~!

Larry King Show Response

Tonight I watched Larry King's show. I usually don't watch Larry's show, I am just not an interested fan, but a friend told me tonight I had better tune in, so I did....the topic tonight, the meat industry and whether or not meat is safe to have in our diets.

Hmm, interesting....the debate was interesting and frustrating at the same time.

My response: YES! Meat is part of a balanced diet! Beef, pork, poultry, eggs and fish all provide vital nutrients that are critical to a healthy body. Meat products in the USA are safe. Just remember to cook your meats to the correct temperature and prepare properly. Also remember it's not okay to eat meat in excess, but of course in appropriate sizes and in moderation-perhaps 2-3 meals a day including some lean cuts of meats. I hope the general public also believes this fact.