Photo by: © istockphoto/carebott

Raising My Hand For Chocolate Milk

by Felicia Stoler, DCN, MS, RD
Photo by: © istockphoto/carebott

I’ve been thinking a lot about chocolate milk lately. And not just because it’s one of my favorite ways to get another serving of dairy in my day.

It actually started awhile ago when the question of whether or not to serve chocolate milk came up in a nearby school. A handful of parents felt kids should be drinking regular milk only due to concerns over extra sugar and calories in flavored milk.

As a registered dietitian and someone who is deeply entrenched in children’s nutrition issues, this set off alarm bells for me on a number of levels. Childhood obesity is a serious issue in our country today, but so is childhood nutrition. Study after study reveals that our children are not meeting their nutrient needs in many areas, including calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients that are abundant in milk.

Working with the school to address the concerns raised and keep chocolate milk on the lunch line, I quickly realized that many people simply do not know the facts on flavored milk and its important role in helping kids get the nutrition they need. That’s why I was extremely pleased when the nation’s dairy farmers and milk processors launched an education campaign to share the facts and science on flavored milk (www.raiseyourhand4milk.com) and asked if I’d be interested in serving as a program spokesperson. (That was a big “YES!”)

I encourage all moms to check out the Raise Your Hand web site and the educational materials offered to get the facts on chocolate milk and see what the science and leading health professional organizations have to say. Also, be sure to raise your hand by signing the online petition to show your support for chocolate milk and help spread the word. (You’ll see me and my kids raising our hands for chocolate milk alongside health and nutrition professionals, and even a few celebrity moms and dads.)

If I had to put it in a nutshell, here’s what I most want moms to know about flavored milk:

  • First and foremost, most health professionals and school nutrition professionals support the role of milk, including chocolate milk, in helping kids meet their daily nutrient needs. This includes the nation’s leading health and nutrition organizations such as the American Dietetic Association (ADA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Heart Association (AHA). In fact, the ADA and AAP put out a joint statement to help reinforce the science and nutritional benefits of flavored milk. See it here
  • Kids love the taste of chocolate milk and they’ll drink more milk overall when chocolate is included in the mix. That’s true at school, too. A recent study by Chartwells School Dining Services and presented at the American Dietetic Association’s annual meeting found that overall milk consumption dropped by as much as 67 percent(!!) when flavored milk was removed from schools. Too often, kids will turn to soda or water and miss out on the nutrients that are so important during these critical periods of growth.
  • But what about the additional sugar and calories, you ask? The majority of chocolate milk served in schools is lowfat or fat free. That’s about 60 calories more than regular lowfat or fat free milk – the equivalent of about half a banana. More importantly, research shows that children who drink lowfat or fat free flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs; do not consume more added overall sugar, fat or calories; and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers. Studies have shown that flavored milk drinkers also drink fewer high-sugar soft drinks and fruit drinks, which is a positive swap.

    Again, you can get more information and the supporting science for all these points at Raise Your Hand 4 Milk. You can also visit the campaign on Facebook and see what other moms are saying about why they support chocolate milk.

    So raise your hand… and your next glass of lowfat chocolate milk with your kids knowing you’re helping them get essential nutrients they need.

Felicia Stoler, DCN, MS, RD, is a nutritionist and exercise physiologist focusing on child nutrition and host of TLC’s show “Honey We’re Killing the Kids.” Dr. Stoler serves as a spokesperson for the Raise Your Hand 4 Milk campaign and is pleased to be helping share the facts and science on flavored milk and its role in helping children get the nutrients they need with parents nationwide.

Editor’s Note This post was sponsored by America’s dairy farmers and milk processors.

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97 Comments

When I was a kid in the 80's, my parents simply didn't buy soda and plain milk wasn't treated like anything we kids weren't expected to like. Kids drinking too much soda is the fault of the parents who supply it, not the schools who can't control what goes on in the home.

Um... I drink only Chocolate Soy Milk on a daily basis. As does my son.

One, this is a great way to lower his mucus issues with dairy. (and I believe lactose turns to a type of sugar anyway, once digested.).

Two, I did a comparison on the labels and we are receiving MORE by drinking this, than 2% milk, as that is what I compared the label to...

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It's incredible how awful the food is at schools already. The institution is so prison like already, and when people start discussing removing chocolate milk I wonder what the world is coming too.
Soon there will be suggestions of having children eat processed foods like animals so that all of their nutrition is met by that one food.

Please don't stop advocating for children to have normal lives...

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I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. The BEST source of Vit D is from the sun, NOT milk. Kids need to get out and go to recess. Pasturized milk wreaks havoc on most people's digestive systems, and then to add the sugar and who knows what else to "flavor" the milk just makes it that much worse. Soda I agree is terrible stuff, but kids NEED water. I personally would LOVE it if my kids only drank water...

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I'd like to see non-animal derived milk available as well. Shouldn't we also be teaching compassion along with good health? Why such a dependency on dairy?

Come on moms. Kids love chocolate milk! Its great for those who don't like milk, like myself. Besides, its only one little carton. Kids get more candy, cookies, and chocolate milk at home. Isn't that where the nutrition starts. I say there is nuthing wrong with it. They burn it off during recess and gym cless.

Dr. Stoler,
I enjoyed your article and could not agree with you more! I am a Dietitian as well and I often fight the battle of "sneaking" in good nutritious foods into my 2 yr old's diet. Calcium is in so many foods and beverages nowadays, however Vitamin D is really only available in milk. I believe there is much more to learn about the benefits of vitamin D...

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I am a former registered dietitian and MS Nutrition, and I agree! As an elementary school teacher now, and mom of three, I see what children are eating and drinking daily, and chocolate milk is a much better choice than most! I use a plant based chocolate powder at home to flavor my youngest's milk, and she loves it. Say NO to sodas, and yes to filtered water, pure juices and milk (including dairy, soy, or rice!)

Thanks to Ms. Stoler for reminding us of the many health benefits of milk, and I agree that it is tough for lowly, unadorned milk to compete with all of the salt, sugar, and fat found in the chicken nuggets, pizza, french fries, and dessert on our kid's trays.
However,this trend (which has been the mainstay of American Culture for as long as I can remember) to gravitate to the lowest nutritional common-denomonator so to speak, especially in children's school lunches, is disheartening...

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Chocolate milk should stay in school. It's a way to get picky children who won't drink regular or lowfat white milk to get a serving of milk, and all the great nutrients that come along with it. The chocolate milk is lowfat and is a very small serving. Most kids who drink milk drink chocolate milk, it keeps high sugar drink out of their body like soda or artifical juices in the school. Most kids don't eat properly why take away the one nutritional thing they will take willing!

My 5 year old loves strawberry milk much more than chocolate. A different alternative maybe your children will like as well?

Goodness! If we're going to get rid of something in our schools, why don't we start with something like french fries or junkfood vending machines?!

I suggest that you read 'The China Study' and also visit www.notmilk.com
milk has been found to be the main contributer to Cancer creation and its spread. It is not natural for humans to consume milk that was designed for baby calves... human breast milk was designed for babies.
I hope that you are not being paid or rewarded by the dairy industry to promote such untruths.
countries that consume the highest amounts of dairy...also have the highest rates of osteoporosis...

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With this Chocolate Milk campaign that is in every public school and now sponsoring athletic events, we are teaching kids and athletes that things must come with sugar and fat to taste good and that animal foods are the superior way to meet calcium and protein needs.

The dairy industry is putting a mask over the truth with massive campaigns and by hiring "experts" like the one who published the post above...

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This is such an irresponsible article. The author brushes off the extra calories and sugar in the milk, but if you drink those extra calories 5 times a week for the 9 months a year at school, that's an extra 3.3 in dairy farmer funded pounds. My kids will be saying no to chocolate milk thankyouverymuch. I have enough other nutritional challenges to deal with, this one is a no-brainer.

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