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Milk, cheese and yogurt contribute essential nutrients to school meal programs. In fact, milk is the number one food source of calcium, vitamin D and potassium in children's diets, nutrients that one out of two kids ages 9 and up aren't getting enough of. Additionally, studies show that consuming dairy foods can improve the overall nutritional quality of the diet, including in children and teens.

The American Dairy Association Mideast is proud to support Ohio and West Virginia schools to ensure that students have access to the nutrient-rich dairy foods they need to succeed in the classroom.

Tools for Schools

We offer tools to assist school nutrition professionals in providing healthy and kid-friendly meals to students. These resources include creative menu ideas, technical assistance and grant opportunities to support sustainable menu changes featuring white and flavored milk, yogurt and cheese. Our resources may also provide opportunities to increase school meal program revenue.

Serving dairy in innovative ways, like hot chocolate milk or overnight oats, can be a great way to increase participation and bridge nutrient gaps. Incorporating foods like low fat yogurt into school menus is a great way for students who do not drink milk to benefit from dairy. Parfaits, smoothies, yogurt bars and yogurt-based recipes can all be part of a reimbursable school meal.

In addition, we offer educational materials about dairy farming and how dairy foods are produced. Through our national in-school health and wellness program Fuel Up to Play 60, we provide strategies, resources and funding opportunities to aid students and educators in improving the school wellness environment through increased access to healthy foods and physical activity. We also provide Farm to School educational materials to teach students about the connections between good nutrition and the role farmers play in creating wholesome dairy foods and protecting our environment.

If you have questions about dairy in school meals, please consult our frequently asked questions page or ask an expert.

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Milk, cheese and yogurt contribute essential nutrients to school meal programs. In fact, milk is the number one food source of calcium, vitamin D and potassium in children's diets, nutrients that one out of two kids ages 9 and up aren't getting enough of.

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Newsela | Milk "moo"ves over for cooler drinks

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Good old-fashioned milk, the kind from moo cows, is losing space on grocery shelves to trendy juices, not to mention soy milk, coconut milk and flax milk.

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Newsela | Not enough people "Got Milk?" to make a difference in sales

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As a nation, we are drinking beverages like crazy. But not enough of it is milk. Dairy groups want to change people's habits with new products, and perhaps some new milk flavors.

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When people talk about the calories in food, what do they mean? A calorie is a unit of measurement - but it doesn't measure weight or length. A calorie is a unit of energy. When you hear something contains 100 calories, it's a way of describing how much energy your body could get from eating or drinking it.

Are Calories Bad for You?

Calories aren't bad for you. Your body needs calories for energy. But eating too many calories - and not burning enough of them off through activity - can lead to weight gain.

Most foods and drinks contain calories. Some foods, such as lettuce, contain few calories (1 cup of shredded lettuce has less than 10 calories). Other foods, like peanuts, contain a lot of calories (½ cup of peanuts has over 400 calories).

Some people watch their calories if they are trying to lose weight. Most kids don't need to do this, but all kids can benefit from eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes the right number of calories - not too many, not too few. But how do you know how many calories you need?

How Many Calories Do Kids Need?

Kids come in all sizes and each person's body burns energy (calories) at different rates, so there isn't one perfect number of calories that every kid should eat. But there is a recommended range for most kids between 6 and 12 years old: 1,600 to 2,200 per day, depending on how active they are.

When they reach puberty, girls need more calories than before, but they tend to need fewer calories than boys. As boys enter puberty, they may need as many as 2,500 to 3,000 calories per day, especially if they are very active. But whether they are girls or boys, kids who are active and move around a lot need more calories than kids who don't.

If you eat more calories than you need, the body changes extra calories to fat. Too much fat can lead to being overweight and other health problems. Only your doctor can say if you are overweight, so check with him or her if you're concerned. And never go on a diet without talking to your doctor!.

High-calorie foods - such as sugary sodas, candy, and fast food - quickly add up to too many calories. Instead, eat a healthy, balanced diet. Exercising and playing are really important, too, because physical activity burns calories.

How the Body Uses Calories

Your body needs calories just to operate - to keep your heart beating and your lungs breathing. As a kid, your body also needs calories and nutrients from a variety of foods to grow and develop. And you burn off some calories without even thinking about it - by walking your dog or making your bed.

But it is a great idea to play and be active for an 1 hour or more every day. That means time spent playing sports, playing outside, or riding your bike. It all adds up. Being active every day keeps your body strong and can help you maintain a healthy weight.

Watching TV and playing video games won't burn many calories at all, which is why you should limit those activities to no more than 2 hours per day. A person burns only about 1 calorie per minute while watching TV, about the same as sleeping!

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You've probably heard about calories. Are they good or bad for you? Find out in this article for kids.

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Does Chocolate have Vitamins and Minerals?

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Does Chocolate have Vitamins and Minerals?

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You know vitamins and minerals are good for you. But what does your body really need? And is it possible to get too much of a good thing?

What Are Vitamins and Minerals?

Your body needs vitamins and minerals to work properly. You get them from the foods you eat every day.

Vitamins fall into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble (pronounced: SAHL-yuh-bul):

The fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E, and K - dissolve in fat and are stored in your body.

The water-soluble vitamins - C and the B-complex vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and folate) - dissolve in water. Your body can't store these vitamins. Any B or C vitamins that your body doesn't use travels through the bloodstream and is lost (mostly when you pee). So you need a fresh supply of these vitamins every day.

Vitamins are organic substances, which means they're made by plants or animals. Minerals are inorganic elements that come from soil and water, and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Your body needs larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium, to grow and stay healthy. Other minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called trace minerals because you need only very small amounts of them.

What Do Vitamins and Minerals Do?

Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system, support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. For example, you've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes. It's true! Carrots are full of substances called carotenoids (pronounced: kuh-RAH-teh-noydz) that your body converts into vitamin A, which helps prevent eye problems.

Vitamin K helps blood to clot, so cuts and scrapes stop bleeding quickly. You'll find vitamin K in green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and soybeans. And to have strong bones, you need to eat foods such as milk, yogurt, and green leafy vegetables, which are rich in the mineral calcium.

How Do I Get the Vitamins and Minerals I Need?

Eating well now is especially important because the body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to grow and stay healthy.

Eating a mix of foods is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, and poultry are the best choices for getting the nutrients your body needs.

When deciding what to eat, check food labels and pick items that are high in vitamins and minerals. For example, when choosing drinks, you'll find that a glass of milk is a good source of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium. A glass of soda, on the other hand, doesn't have any vitamins or minerals.

You can also satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing nutrition while dining out: vegetable pizzas or fajitas, sandwiches with lean cuts of meat, fresh salads, and baked potatoes are just a few delicious, nutritious choices.

If you're a vegetarian, you'll need to plan carefully for a diet that includes the vitamins and minerals you need. The best sources for the minerals zinc and iron are meats, fish, and poultry. But you can get these from dried beans, seeds, nuts, and leafy green vegetables like kale.

Vitamin B12 is important for making red blood cells and keeping nerves working well. It is found only in animal products. If you don't eat meat, you can get vitamin B12 from eggs, milk and other dairy foods, and fortified breakfast cereals. Vegans (vegetarians who eat no animal products at all, including dairy products) may need to take vitamin B12 supplements.

Should I Take a Supplement?

Lots of people wonder if they should take vitamin or mineral supplements. If your diet includes a wide variety of foods - including whole-grain products, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, seeds, eggs, and meats - you probably get the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

There are many supplements on the market, and of course their makers want you to buy them. Beware of unproven claims about the benefits of taking more than recommended amounts of any vitamin or mineral. Healthy teens usually don't need supplements if they eat a well-rounded diet.

Check with your doctor before taking vitamin or mineral supplements. Just because something is good for you doesn't mean that more is better. Some vitamins and minerals can cause health problems if you get too much of them.

Talk to your doctor or a dietitian if you're skipping meals, dieting, are a picky eater, or have any concerns about your diet. They can answer your questions and help you create a healthy eating plan that includes the nutrients your body needs.

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Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that the body needs to work properly. They boost the immune system, promote normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs.

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Chocolate milk gets nutritionists’ gold star

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It was the last school day before Thanksgiving, and Traughber Junior High’s lunchroom crackled with adolescent energy and anticipation of a holiday break starting in just a few hours. Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at the Oswego school were busy polishing off selections from a multiple-choice m…

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With the same essential vitamins and nutrients found in white milk wrapped up in delicious flavor, TruMoo® chocolate milk is the perfect way to replenish after a big day of childhood fun.
Browse our products

If childhood had an official drink, it would be TruMoo Chocolate Milk.

TruMoo High Protein is the perfect balance of protein power and winning taste.

Real cocoa. No artificial flavors. The rich and creamy taste kids love.

Essential vitamins and no high fructose corn syrup, so it's a choice you can feel good about.

At TruMoo, we are all about making the most of childhood fun. And our chocolate milk is a delicious way for kids to replenish after an active day outdoors.

Real cocoa. No artificial flavors. The rich and creamy taste kids love.

Essential vitamins and no high fructose corn syrup, so it's a choice you can feel good about.

At TruMoo, we are all about making the most of childhood fun. And our chocolate milk is a delicious way for kids to replenish after an active day outdoors.

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Great flavors, essential vitamins & nutrients, TruMoo has everything kids need to replenish after a day of play.

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Chocolate Milk & White Bread might be returning to school cafeterias! 

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Chocolate Milk & White Bread might be returning to school cafeterias! 

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Newsela | Please pass the salt! New bill aims to relax school nutrition standards

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3 Reasons Schools Should Ban Chocolate Milk 

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3 Reasons Schools Should Ban Chocolate Milk 

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Raise Your Hand For Chocolate Milk - Video 

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Raise Your Hand For Chocolate Milk - Video 

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Schools May Ban Chocolate Milk Over Added Sugar 

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Schools May Ban Chocolate Milk Over Added Sugar 

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LOS ANGELES — Chocolate milk has long been seen as the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down, but the nation's childhood obesity epidemic has a growing number of people wondering whether that's wise.

With schools under increasing pressure to offer healthier food, the staple on children's cafeteria trays has come under attack over the very ingredient that makes it so popular - sugar.

Some school districts have gone as far as prohibiting flavored milk, and Florida considered a statewide ban in schools. Other districts have sought a middle ground by replacing flavored milks containing high-fructose corn syrup with versions containing sugar, which some see as a more natural sweetener.

Los Angeles Unified, the nation's second-largest school district, is the latest district to tackle the issue. Superintendent John Deasy recently announced he would push this summer to remove chocolate and strawberry milk from school menus.

But nutritionists - and parents - are split over whether bans make sense, especially when about 70% of milk consumed in schools is flavored, mostly chocolate, according to the industry-backed Milk Processors Education Program.

Many, including the School Nutrition Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and National Medical Association, argue that the nutritional value of flavored low-fat or skim milk outweighs the harm of added sugar.Milk contains nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and protein.

A joint statement from those groups points to studies that show kids who drink fat-free, flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.

"Chocolate milk has been unfairly pegged as one of the causes of obesity," said Julie Buric, vice president of marketing for the Milk Processors Education Program.

Others note the nation's child obesity epidemic and say flavored milk simply needs to go.

Eight ounces of white milk served in Los Angeles public schools contains 14 grams of natural sugar or lactose; fat-free chocolate milk has an extra six grams of sugar for a total of 20 grams, while fat-free strawberry milk has a total of 27 grams - the same as eight ounces of Coca-Cola.

"Chocolate milk is soda in drag," said Ann Cooper, director of nutrition services for the Boulder Valley School District in Louisville, Colo., which has banned flavored milk. "It works as a treat in homes, but it doesn't belong in schools."

Flavored milk is also a target of British TV chef Jamie Oliver, who has made revamping school food a signature cause.

For a segment to be aired on his "Food Revolution" TV show, he recently filled a school bus with white sand to represent the amount of sugar Los Angeles Unified school children consume weekly in flavored milk.

"If you have flavored milk, that's candy," he said.

Oliver cheered Deasy's proposal to remove flavored milk from schools during a recent joint appearance on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show.

If the school board adopts the ban, Los Angeles Unified would join districts including Washington and Berkeley, Calif.

But efforts by some other districts turned sour after children drank less milk. Milk consumption drops 35% when flavored milks are removed, according to the Milk Processors Education Program.

Cabell County, W.Va., schools brought chocolate milk back at the recommendation of state officials, and Fairfax County, Va., did the same after its dairy provider came up with a version sweetened with beet sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup.

The Florida Board of Education also backed away from its proposed ban on chocolate milk after the state agricultural commissioner urged the board to look at all sugary food and beverages served in schools.

The Los Angeles district has worked with its dairy supplier on flavored versions using the sweetener Truvia and chicory, district spokesman Robert Alaniz said.

Cooper and others argued children will drink plain milk if that's what's offered.

"We've taught them to drink chocolate milk, so we can unteach them that," Cooper said. "Our kids line up for milk."

Boulder Valley hasn't been barraged with complaints since removing chocolate milk two years ago, but it hasn't tracked whether milk consumption has dropped, she said.

Parents line up on both sides of the issue.

Deborah Bellholt, a South Los Angeles mother, said none of her six children ranging from pre-school to high school age will drink plain milk. "By allowing kids flavored milk, they still get the calcium they need," she said. "If not, they'd bypass it."

But Mimi Bonetti, a suburban Los Angeles mother with two elementary school-age children who drink plain milk, said she gets angry that chocolate milk is portrayed as nutritious. Children can get calcium and other nutrients from other foods, she said.

"If you offer them the choice of chocolate or plain, of course they're going to choose chocolate," Bonetti said. "When you're telling kids that drinking chocolate milk is a healthy choice, it's sending the wrong message."

Ask kids, and most vote for chocolate. Suburban Los Angeles seventh-grader Nacole Johnson said plain milk tastes yucky. If there were no chocolate milk, "I wouldn't drink it," she saiad.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Schools may ban chocolate milk over added sugar - USATODAY.com

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Chocolate milk has long been seen as the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down, but the nation's childhood obesity epidemic has a growing number of people wondering whether that's wise.