With the USDA’s updated school nutrition standards set to take effect in the 2027–2028 school year, Dairy Management, Inc. (DMI) has launched a unified national initiative to elevate dairy’s role in school breakfasts. This forward-thinking strategy focuses on recipe development, menu innovation, culinary training, and strategic partnerships to ensure that dairy remains a nutritious and appealing choice for students.
As part of this initiative, DMI partnered with To Taste, a culinary nutrition company founded by two registered dietitian nutritionists who are also professional chefs. Together, they created a lineup of dairy-forward breakfast recipes that meet evolving school nutrition guidelines and appeal to students’ taste buds.
Some of the standout recipe concepts include:
- Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Yogurt Mustard Sauce
- Cottage Cheese & Fruit Cups
- Breakfast Bowls
- Cherry Lime Smoothie Bowls
- Breakfast Nachos
- Chicken & Waffles with a Dairy Twist
A recipe may look great on paper, but the real test is whether students will eat it. That’s why DMI and regional checkoff partners, including Midwest Dairy, worked with local school districts to conduct taste tests across the country this spring.
In Illinois’ School District U-46, more than 200 elementary and high school students sampled a simple breakfast of cottage cheese and blueberries. The goal was to determine if students liked cottage cheese in its purest form. Feedback ranged from enthusiastic (“I love it!”) to hesitant (“Not a fan”), with many students offering ideas like adding granola or honey for more texture and flavor.
In Minnesota’s District 196, students from both elementary and high school participated in a tasting of the Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Yogurt Mustard Sauce. The sandwich was a hit, as many asked for seconds. One fifth grader even requested the recipe for their next school. While the sauce drew mixed reviews (ranging from “too tart” to “just right”), the overall response was positive. At the high school, students in a gourmet foods class used the taste test as a learning opportunity. Midwest Dairy and school staff shared insights into nutrition careers, sparking interest in food and health professions. The experience was featured on the school’s Facebook page, further amplifying the impact.
Feedback from these taste tests in Illinois, Minnesota, and other locations across the dairy checkoff federation will be compiled and analyzed by To Taste to fine-tune each recipe based on student preferences and cafeteria feasibility. The goal is to ensure that dairy-rich breakfasts are both nutritious and enjoyable. Because, as the saying goes, “it’s not nutrition if it’s not eaten.”
Midwest Dairy is proud to help shape the future of school meals by ensuring that dairy remains a delicious, trusted, and student-approved choice—one breakfast at a time!