Flavored Milk

Flavored Milk contributes only 3% of the total added sugars in childrens’ diets, and provides 9 essential nutrients, making it a better choice than many other beverages.

Top three reasons flavored milk is important in child nutrition programs.

Lowfat milk is packed with essential nutrients that help kids grow into strong and healthy adults. Both white and flavored milk are an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin and phosphorus, and a good source of protein, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and niacin.

Chocolate milk is almost twice as effective as commercial sports drinks to refuel exhausted muscles. A bottle of cold chocolate milk is a great-tasting source of carbohydrate to refuel the body and make energy available for the next practice or event.

Facts about flavored milk.

All milk contains a unique combination of nutrients important for growth and development - including three of the five “nutrients of concern” for which children have inadequate intakes. And, flavored milk accounts for less than 3.5% of added sugar intake in children ages 6-12 and less than 2% in teens.

There is a lot of talk about eliminating flavored milk in schools, but what impact will that have on our children’s nutrition? Without flavor options, will children continue to drink milk? If not, will they be able to get the nutrients they need?

An 8-ounce serving of milk, flavored or not, gives kids as much as...

Despite some of the high-profile debates over flavored milk, a recent study of 1,000 moms found that more than half (54%) would be opposed to a decision made by their children’s school or school districts to stop offering chocolate milk. The survey found that mothers recognize that the availability of chocolate milk increases milk intake for some children who do not drink white milk.

Elementary student milk consumption dropped an average of 35% when flavors were not offered.

When flavored milk was eliminated, elementary student milk consumption dropped dramatically, an average of 35%. The drop came from a combination of fewer students selecting milk and more milk being discarded.

Milk companies across the U.S. are reformulating flavored milk to lower total calories, and decrease added sugars and fat, while preserving its nutritional value and taste appeal.

Some schools have made the decision to remove chocolate and other flavored milks from the cafeteria. Even though these bans have been well intentioned, they have done more nutritional harm than good. Lowfat chocolate milk is the most popular milk choice in schools and kids drink less milk – and get fewer essential nutrients – if it’s taken away.

When it comes to nutrition, not all drinks are created equal.

With the nation’s focus on improving children’s nutrition and health, some school districts have eliminated flavored milk as a choice for students based on the concern that this beverage contributes to childhood obesity. However, this decision ignores the potential for unintended adverse effects on children’s nutrition and health, and the science supporting the benefits of flavored milk for children.

There’s a nutrient powerhouse in a variety of flavors that today’s kids love. That beverage is milk, delivering 9 essential nutrients, including some that appear to be seriously lacking in children’s diets today.