It's more than Flavor!
Kids prefer the taste, parents applaud the nutrition
Kids are in a calcium crisis – they need more milk more often, and flavored milk can help close the gap. Currently, more than half of children ages 2–8 and three quarters of children ages 9-19 do not get the recommended daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk or milk products. Flavored milk delivers nutrients kids need.
Flavored milk not only provides plain milk’s full nutrient rich package, but it can also help improve overall diets. According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, small amounts of sugars added to nutrient dense foods, such as reduced-fat milk products, may increase a person’s intake of such foods by enhancing palatability of these products, thus improving nutrient intake without contributing excessive calories.
Why choose flavored milk?
Compared to their peers, children who drink flavored milk drink more milk overall and are more likely to meet their calcium needs without consuming more total fat and calories, according to a study in the Journal of American Dietetic Association. A nutritious alternative to other beverages, flavored milks are often acceptable to children who might not drink plain milk.
How does flavored milk fit into school nutrition programs?
The importance of providing children milk they like, and therefore will drink, was highlighted by a school milk pilot test, which demonstrated that with simple product improvements – including adding additional flavors and plastic packaging – milk sales increased 18% overall at both the elementary and secondary level.
Does flavored milk contain as much added sugar as fruit drinks or carbonated soft drinks?
No. While flavored milk contains both natural and added sugars (nearly half of the sugar in flavored milk is naturally present in the milk), it doesn’t have nearly as much as other beverages that kids are drinking such as carbonated soft drinks. On average, an eight-ounce low-fat flavored milk has around 4 teaspoons of added sugar while a can of soda has about 9 teaspoons and fruit punch about 6 teaspoons.
Check out our resources for more information about flavored milk.