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Flavored Milk Frequently Asked Questions

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Flavored Milk Frequently Asked Questions

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How School Lunches Measure Up in Countries Around the World

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How School Lunches Measure Up in Countries Around the World

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My Problem With Jamie Oliver's War on Flavored Milk

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My Problem With Jamie Oliver's War on Flavored Milk

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02 My Problem With Jamie Oliver’s War on Flavored Milk

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School Lunches May Get a Little Less Healthy

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School Lunches May Get a Little Less Healthy

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Chocolate Milk Returns to Vacaville After Protest by 4th Grade Students

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Chocolate Milk Returns to Vacaville After Protest by 4th Grade Students

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VACAVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- Chocolate milk is returning to the menu at a Vacaville school following a student protest.

Students at Sierra Vista K-through-8 school were not happy that chocolate milk was pulled from the lunch menu.

So the fourth-grade class held a protest.

Students and the administration came to a compromise that chocolate milk will return to the menu -- one day, every other week.

Teachers say it was a good way to teach the students how to form an argument and stand up for what they believe in, even if it's only chocolate milk.

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Chocolate milk returns to Vacaville school after protest by 4th grade students

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VACAVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- Chocolate milk is returning to the menu at a Vacaville school following a student protest. Students at Sierra Vista K-through-8 school were not happy that chocolate milk was pulled from the lunch menu. So the fourth-grade class held a protest.

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Sugary Drinks Can BeUnhealthy, But is Cow’sMilk Unhealthy, Too?

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Sugary Drinks Can BeUnhealthy, But is Cow’sMilk Unhealthy, Too?

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Chocolate Milk: More Harmful or Helpful?

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Chocolate Milk: More Harmful or Helpful?

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Choco. Millk Mor Harmful Than Healthful article

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Flavored milk is cow's milk with added flavoring and sweetener.

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TruMoo Chocolate Milk From Country Fresh

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TruMoo Chocolate Milk From Country Fresh

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TruMoo® Chocolate Milk From Country Fresh

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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.

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Dairy milk is a whole food, providing 13 essential nutrients that play an important role in growth and development. Both adults and children can benefit from consuming dairy foods like milk, yogurt and cheese as part of a healthy eating pattern. Despite the many benefits of dairy foods, popular misconceptions promote underconsumption of the essential nutrients found in these foods. The combination of nutrients with their unique interactions in milk, yogurt and cheese enhances the quality of eating patterns and contributes to optimal health.

Nutrients in Milk

Milk contains calcium, vitamin D and potassium-three of the four nutrients that the U.S. Department of Agriculture deems underconsumed by most Americans. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that individuals ages 9 and older consume three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt each day; children between 4 and 8 years old should consume 2½ cups each day. Additionally, milk and water should be the main beverages for children ages 1-5 years old.

Milk is recognized for its important role in building and maintaining strong bones. The human body doesn't work with one nutrient at a time; rather, a combination of nutrients working together positively affects health and body systems. Milk and dairy foods provide the right amount of bone-building nutrients, specifically calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B12 and zinc.

Lactose-free Milk

Drinking milk can be an issue for those with lactose intolerance. Milk is typically digested with the help of a digestive enzyme called lactase, which breaks the lactose molecule into two smaller parts-glucose and galactose. If the lactose is not broken down, people can experience uncomfortable symptoms after consuming dairy foods.

A lactose intolerance diagnosis can lead to restriction or elimination of dairy foods. Yet inadequate intake of dairy foods often leads to vitamin D and calcium deficiencies, both of which have been linked to low bone mineral density and higher risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis.

Fortunately, people can enjoy the health benefits of dairy by consuming lactose-free milk. Lactose-free milk has two characteristics that make it different from milk: the enzyme lactase is added to the milk and the lactose molecules in milk are split into their simpler form. Both of these processes aid in digestion. Lactose-free milk is a great way for people with lactose intolerance to enjoy the taste and benefits of drinking milk-without the discomfort.

Milk and Added Sugars

Sugars are not added to fat-free, low-fat, reduced-fat or whole milk. The sugars listed on the label refer to the natural sugars (primarily lactose) found in plain milk.

The nutrient content of chocolate and other flavored milk is similar to that of plain milk, but with added sugars or sugar substitutes. Consumers should look at the food label to determine the number of grams of added sugars in flavored milk.

Health Benefits of Milk

The nutrients in milk make it an important addition to a healthy eating pattern. Milk is a component of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet designed to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. This diet, which includes three servings a day of low-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese and eight to 10 servings daily of fruits and vegetables, has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Milk produced in California abides by higher nutritional standards, exceeding the federal standards for protein, calcium and other nutrients. California milk producers accomplish this by fortifying milk with fat-free milk solids that improve taste and add nutritional benefits. Fortification is crucial in bridging common nutrient shortfalls, specifically of calcium, which is especially important for children and adolescents.

REFERENCES

US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 2015-2020 DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS. 8TH ED. WASHINGTON, DC: US DEPT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; 2015. HTTPS://HEALTH.GOV/DIETARYGUIDELINES/2015/GUIDELINES/. ACCESSED NOVEMBER 4, 2019.

PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS. HEALTHY DRINKS, HEALTHY KIDS WEBSITE, A PROJECT OF HEALTHY EATING RESEARCH. HTTPS://HEALTHYDRINKSHEALTHYKIDS.ORG/PARENTS/. ACCESSED NOVEMBER 4, 2019.

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Dairy milk is a whole food, providing 13 essential nutrients that play an important role in growth and development. Both adults and children can benefit from consuming dairy foods like milk, yogurt and cheese as part of a healthy eating pattern.

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Flavored Milk in Schools - Drink-Milk.com

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Authoritative nutrition guidance recognizes the positive role of flavored milk. [...]Read More...

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A proposed ban on chocolate milk in New York City public schools has divided parents, lawmakers and dairy farmers across the state.

On Sep. 6, six members of Congress, including Rep. Grace Meng of New York, sent letters to the offices of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza voicing their "concern with the potential elimination of flavored milk in New York City Schools."

The letter, which was sent to TODAY Food by a representative from the New York Farm Bureau, outlined the "pivotal role" flavored milk plays in ensuring children receive nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

The note cites a few studies (some of which were funded by diary producers) that claim children who drink flavored milks are more likely to get their daily recommended vitamin needs than "non-flavored milk drinkers." Those studies also showed no link between flavored milk consumption and weight gain in children.

Additionally, the letter argued that the move to ban so many milk products would adversely affect thousands of dairy farmers.

Will Mantell, a spokesman for the New York City Department of Education, would not specify when the initial ban was proposed but told TODAY via email that "it's fair to say that we continuously review our menu options for nutrition & whether kids enjoy them."

While many young kids enjoy drinking chocolate milk, proponents argue banning it would be one way to limit the amount of sugar children consume. In the U.S., children eat three times as much added sugar as they should each day, according to the American Heart Association. To limit that number, the AHA issued a recommendation in 2016 suggesting kids should consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar a day.

"Our priority is the health and well-being of our students, and every day, we offer a variety of healthy, delicious and free meal options that exceed USDA standards," Mantell said.

Mantell added that no New York City public schools currently serve soda and, when it comes to milk, only nonfat and low-fat options are served. Previously, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Rochester, Minnesota, Los Angeles and Detroit have also voted to ban flavored milks, NBC New York reported. But Los Angeles and Detroit have since reversed those bans and sweetened milks are now served in schools again.

While New York City schools may be looking to ban chocolate milk, other districts around the country are looking for different ways to increase students' daily dairy intake. Several districts have recently accepted grants from different local dairy associations to set up coffee shops in high schools so teens can get some extra protein and calcium, albeit with a latte.

Some tweeters think the ban on sugar-laden drinks, even if they do contain calcium, is a great idea.

But many, many more are saying that banning chocolate milk is going too far.

Norma Reid-Archibald, a dietician and nutritionist with NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, said that chocolate milk is a good alternative for kids who may not want to drink plain milk.

"I need them to have another option - there's calcium, vitamin D, potassium. All important," Reid-Archibald told NBC New York. "Don't worry about the sugar for this particular meal ... because it's a minimum part of their overall daily intake that these students are consuming."

While different brands may vary by calorie and sugar content, on average, chocolate milk has about 25%-30% more calories and double the sugar of plain dairy milk.

For example, a serving of Horizon Organic's low-fat chocolate milk contains 150 calories, 8 grams of protein, 23 grams of carbohydrates and 22 grams of sugar. Horizon's low-fat plain milk has 110 calories, 8 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrates and 12 grams of sugar.

The future of sweetened dairy milk in New York City's public schools remains uncertain for now. Said Mantell, "No decision has been made about chocolate milk."

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Proposal to ban chocolate milk in public school sparks backlash

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New York City Public Schools proposed a ban on chocolate milk, but people aren't sure it should be a priority.

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NYC Schools Want to Ban Chocolate Milk (2019)

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NYC Schools Want to Ban Chocolate Milk (2019)

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Holy cow.

The city Department of Education wants to ban chocolate milk from public schools, The Post has learned.

Citing health concerns, including sugar content, Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza and his underlings are pushing for a white-milk-only policy, DOE sources said.

"The thinking is that these kids are already getting too much sugar, why are they getting it in their milk?'' one DOE source said, adding that higher-ups "are discussing what to do and how to do it.''

Other school districts, from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., have banned flavored milk, and concern over dairy has come up before in New York City, where students' milk options were limited to low-fat and nonfat in 2006.

But the city has resisted putting the kibosh on the chocolate variety - at least until now.

The moo-ve is already dividing parents and kids.

"It would be awful to take away people's chocolate milk," said Caterina Ditommasa, a 10-year-old at PS 58 in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

Her mother, Joanna, argued that removing chocolate milk won't solve schools' dietary problems.

"The schools serve other sugary drinks that are no better - juices and sodas," she said.

"The real problem is that New York City lunches are unhealthy in general, all prepackaged and full of preservatives."

Caterina's dad, Luke, was more open to a chocolate-milk ban.

"Not to be a health nazi," he said, "but it's not the worst idea.''

Upstate dairy farmers got wind that something was ahoof in the city and are having a cow about it.

They say taking away chocolate milk will lower kids' milk intake, which would hurt their health, not to mention farmers' bottom lines.

A group of dairy farmers enlisted the help of their local Congress members, who fired off a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio last week.

"Over two-thirds of milk served in school is flavored, which represents an essential way that kids get the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development,'' the letter said.

One of the politicians, Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica), told The Post: "This is a very large school system. This is a time when dairy farmers are already struggling and facing a lot of uncertainty."

The DOE stressed that a final decision has not been made.

"Our priority is the health and well-being of our students, and every day, we offer a variety of healthy, delicious, and free meal options that exceed USDA standards," it said in a statement.

"We look forward to discussing our menu with these members of Congress."

The San Francisco Unified School District, which Carranza previously led, banned flavored milk shortly after he left in 2016.

While Los Angeles eliminated chocolate milk in 2011, it brought it back in 2017 after finding kids were rejecting milk altogether.

According to the city Health Department, 8 ounces of local public schools' chocolate skim milk has 120 calories and 20 grams of sugar, 8 grams of which are added sugar.

The same amount of skim white milk has 90 calories and 12 grams of sugar, none added.
Additional reporting by Daniel Cassady and Kate Sheehy

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New York City schools want to ban chocolate milk

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Holy cow. The city Department of Education wants to ban chocolate milk from public schools, The Post has learned. Citing health concerns, including sugar content, Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza and his underlings are pushing for a white-milk-only policy, DOE sources said.

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Coauthored by Kathryn Henderson, Ph.D., Director of School and Community Initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University
As researchers and health professionals working with school districts and parents to support the development of healthful eating practices among children, we applaud nationwide efforts to improve school nutrition. These have included efforts to increase fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and decrease fat, saturated fat, and added sugar. One source of added sugar that is a staple in school cafeterias is flavored milk. Promoting only unflavored milk is an effective way to reduce the added sugar children consume at school.

First, let's recognize the chocolate milk controversy for what it really is about: marketing. In 2010, the dairy industry's national marketing group, the Milk Processor Education Program, launched a $1 million initiative to promote chocolate milk, especially in schools (where most flavored milk is sold). The dairy industry claims that children will not drink unflavored milk -- adding sugar to it is necessary to ensure adequate calcium intake. This is the same argument presented by the companies that sell high-sugar cereals. They claim that children will not eat low-sugar cereals and risk skipping breakfast altogether. Rudd Center research, published in the journal Pediatrics in December 2010, has demonstrated this is not the case.

Flavored milk is not the nutritional equivalent of unflavored milk. It is significantly higher in calories, sugar, and sodium, and usually contains artificial colors and flavors. There are 11 grams (nearly three teaspoons) of added sugar in one cup of flavored milk. Is that a lot or a little? Well, according to the USDA, we are allowed a limited number of discretionary calories per day, and within those calories, the American Heart Association recommends that no more than half be used for added sugar. If we do the math, a girl aged 9-13 is limited to 16.5 grams of sugar per day. If she spends 11 grams on milk at lunch, she has 5.5 grams left. That isn't enough for one whole grain chocolate chip cookie (14 grams of sugar) or a bowl of sugared cereal.

Do parents have any idea how much added sugar their children are consuming in the school lunch? Our view is that all food and beverages in schools should provide maximum nutrition with minimum discretionary calories. Parents can then trust that their children have been well nourished at school and can make decisions about what added sugar or treats to offer. This approach ensures that all parents' wishes are respected: those who wish to feed their children chocolate milk may do so and those who don't wish their children to have the extra sugar don't face unwanted exposure for their children.

It is probable that, immediately following removal of flavored milk from schools, children will drink less milk. Who really is surprised that, given the option, children prefer the taste of flavored milk to unflavored milk? Research with both animals and humans show that we all like the taste of sugar. However, examining what happens in the short-term when is inadequate; the relevant question is what happens in the long-term when children are only served unflavored milk.

National data suggest that only 14 percent of preschool-aged children drink flavored milk. In our research in Connecticut nearly all child care centers participating in the CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) serve only low-fat unflavored milk, and the children drink it. Further, flavored milk is not permitted in any state as part of the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. When children are accustomed to drinking unflavored milk at home and in preschool, the most logical hypothesis is that they will continue to drink unflavored milk once they enter kindergarten, in the absence of a high sugar alternative. This is an important research question, but it will take time for researchers to answer it. In the meantime, there is no good reason to continue the practice of introducing flavored milk to children when they enter kindergarten.

Many may feel that flavored milk is being singled out in the debate over food/beverages served in schools. In fact, all over the country school districts have been revising their menus -- cutting out transfat, saturated fat and sugar in all its forms. Reducing sugar in school meals will help children avoid consuming excess discretionary calories, and flavored milk is one place to start. Unflavored milk is accepted by the majority of children prior to entry into the public school system and it should remain the norm for those children.
Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D., Deputy Director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University
and
Kathryn Henderson, Ph.D., Director of School and Community Initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University

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The Controversy Over Banning Chocolate Milk In Schools

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Coauthored by Kathryn Henderson, Ph.D., Director of School and Community Initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University As researchers and health professionals working with school districts and parents to support the development of healthful eating practices among children, we applaud nationwide efforts to improve school nutrition.

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Chocolate Milk Controversy - Lessons - Tes Teach

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Copy of Jamie Oliver's TED - Sugar.Chocolate Milk Controversy.Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk.Dairy Nutrition FAQ - Flavored Milk.Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk!.Chocolate Milk Refuels Muscles After Workout.Schools to ban chocolate milk over added sugar?.Sugar in Chocolate Milk Compared to Other Treats | Consume This First.Chocolate Milk May Boost Post-Workout Recovery.September 2013September 2013 Dairy Download.Schools may ban chocolate milk over added sugar - USATODAY.com.School Nutrition | Nutrition Education | Tools & Resources | Fuel Up To Play 60.Chocolate Milk: Good Or Bad For Kids?

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A School Fight Over Chocolate Milk (Published 2010)

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Flavored milk has emerged as both villain and victim in a cafeteria drama that pits the dairy industry, administrators and parents against one another.

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Story highlights

For many children, it may be their favorite part of the school day: lunchtime.

Yet what's on the menu for this midday meal can vary drastically, depending on where you live, and even could influence a child's academic performance.

"When kids eat healthier foods, this can have a really important impact on their cognitive functioning, which can then translate potentially to better academic performance," said Juliana Cohen, an assistant professor of health sciences at Merrimack College in Massachusetts and adjunct assistant professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

"So really, the healthier school meals is a win for both children and for schools," she said.

In many parts of the world, schools can barely afford classroom supplies, let alone daily meals, but nonprofit organizations or government programs often step in with feeding programs to provide free meals that include meat and veggies.

In other places, school cafeterias sell hot dishes, sandwiches and tiny milk boxes; children might pack a home-cooked meal; or they might go home for lunch.

A spotlight has been turned on what children eat for lunch in the wake of a rising obesity epidemic among the world's youth. Obesity can increase the risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and even some cancers.

Globally, the number of overweight or obese children 5 and younger climbed from 32 million in 1990 to 41 million in 2016, according to the World Health Organization.

So what are they eating for lunch, and how could it affect their health? Here is a sampling of how children experience lunchtime around the world.

Where the US stands

"The United States actually has some of the best nutrition standards in the world for school meals in terms of providing healthier foods to children," Cohen said.

Yet various factors not related to nutrition value - such as the time of day or length of the lunch period - can influence how healthy school lunch can be for a child, she said.

That's particularly evident in the US, she added.

"We don't have national standards for the lunch period length, and as a result of that, we see a lot of variability within schools. Some kids have as little as 15 minutes for a lunch period. Some kids have a lot more than that," Cohen said.

She led a 2015 study, published in the Journal of the Academy of the Nutrition and Dietetics, that found shorter lunch periods to be linked with less healthy eating among children.

The study involved 1,001 students, in third to eighth grade, across six elementary and middle schools in low-income school districts across Massachusetts. The students had lunch periods that varied from 20 to 30 minutes.

The researchers found that students were significantly less likely to select a fruit as part of their lunch if they had less than 20 minutes to eat their meal, compared with at least 25 minutes.

Additionally, students with fewer than 20 minutes to eat consumed 13% less of their entrée, 10% less of their milk and 12% less of their vegetables compared with students who had at least 25 minutes to eat, the researchers found.

"Our research has shown that ideally, a child should have at least a 30-minute lunch period, which will give them enough time to actually get to the table and consume their meal," Cohen said.

"Also, research is showing that when children have access to recess before lunch, that can be a way to significantly improve their healthier meal consumption as well," in comparison with scheduling recess immediately after lunch, she said.

When it comes to the nutrition value of school lunches, Cohen pointed out that when schools collaborate with professional chefs to develop tasty and healthy lunch menus, students are more willing to eat their fruits and vegetables.

For some students, "schools can provide access to foods that children may not otherwise be able to have, and so this is an opportunity for children to have exposure to be able to eat these healthier foods when they may not be able to have them at home," Cohen said.

In the US, several federal programs support children's nutritional needs, including the National School Lunch Program, a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions to provide low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established in 1946.

In 2014, the program fed about 30 million children each school day and cost $12.7 billion. Two years later in 2016, the program provided reduced-cost or free lunches to more than 30.4 million children at a cost of $13.6 billion.

Healthy lunches are important in the US since the percentage of children and teens affected by obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's estimated that nearly one in five school-age children and teens is obese.

Last year, the Trump administration scaled back school meal nutritional requirements that were set under the Obama administration in 2012, allowing states to grant exemptions to schools when meeting certain lunch menu standards related to whole grains, salt and milk.

Some of the changes made included allowing schools to serve 1% flavored milk instead of fat-free flavored milk and included exemptions to schools experiencing challenges in meeting the standard for providing 100% whole-grain-rich foods.

On the other side of the globe, Japan is one country that has stood out to Cohen in terms of the quality of the school lunch experience.

'A really beautiful concept'

"I was fortunate enough to be able to go and actually see for myself a school lunch there, and one of the things that I thought was particularly nice about it was that the children serve each other," Cohen said.

"They are able to sit in the classroom, in a more relaxed environment, to have the food, and one thing that really stood out to me was how often the children were willing to at least try a taste of the different foods on their trays - in part, out of respect to say thank you to the people who had spent all that time making that meal," she said. "I thought that was a really beautiful concept."

Outside school, however, household income is associated with food and nutrient intake among schoolchildren in Japan, according to a study published last year in the journal Public Health Nutrition.

The study involved 409 boys and 427 girls in the fifth grade across 19 schools in East Japan. The children, with the support of their parents, kept dietary records with photographs over a four-day period. Two of those days involved school lunch, and two did not. Meanwhile, the parents completed a questionnaire about their socioeconomic status.

"Our study confirmed an association between household income and the amount of foods and nutrients consumed by Japanese schoolchildren, and suggested that school lunches play a role in reducing disparities in the diets of children from households with various incomes," the researchers wrote in the study.

In some countries, school lunch has been a way not only to reduce disparities but also to combat childhood hunger.

'School feeding programs are ubiquitous'

Brazil has the world's oldest school feeding program, providing daily meals to more than 43 million of the country's children, according to the World Food Programme.

School feeding has been mandatory in primary and secondary schools in Brazil since 1955, and in 2009, policy was introduced to establish a 30% minimum quota of using organic agricultural products from local farmers in the program, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

"In Brazil, we have some limitations about processed food or food with sugar, salt, saturated fat in the composition," said Marcela Veiros, a researcher in the department of nutrition at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil.

"We offer mainly fresh food prepared from scratch in schools by food handlers. Menus are developed and supervised by nutritionists from municipality or state governments. The federal government improved and supported local and family farmers in Brazil to produce food to be delivered to schools," she said. "The recommendation also is to use local and typical products, in respect to cultural and food habits, and native environment."

India has one of the world's largest school meals projects. Through the Akshaya Patra Foundation, the program feeds more than 1.6 million children a free midday meal in government-aided and government schools across 12 states.

Across 69 countries, the humanitarian organization World Food Programme implemented or supported school meal programs in 2016. Through the program, school meals were provided to 16.4 million children, according to its website.

In Tunisia, some of the students receiving these meals are also employed as caterers, and in places like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, some are Syrian refugees, according to the World Food Programme.

In other parts of the world, however, school lunch is not as common.

A paper published last year in the journal Healthcare in Low-resource Settings assessed health services in primary schools in Nigeria's Enugu East and found that lunch was given by only one private school. One public school had a free meal program, but it collapsed.

Most of the private schools in the paper attributed their lack of school lunches to costs and to the objection of parents who would rather prepare meals for their children.

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Whether provided through a humanitarian or governmental program, about how much do school feeding programs cost?

A 2013 study published in the journal Food and Nutrition Bulletin found that school feeding programs cost about $173 per child per year, ranging from an average of $54 in low-income countries to an average of $693 in high-income countries.

The study also showed that the range of costs in low-income countries decreased between 2005 and 2008 by about 35%, suggesting that some cost-containment measures had been implemented during that time. The researchers took a close look at costs in both years.

The study involved data on 74 countries that came from multiple sources, including United Nations databases, the World Food Programme, government ministry reports and previously published studies.

"School feeding programs are ubiquitous in high-, middle-, and low-income countries," the researchers wrote in the study.

"Moreover, many countries for which data are available do not seem to be seeking to cease providing food to their schoolchildren," they wrote. "Many countries in fact appear to be seeking to expand the coverage of their programs and establish them as national programs mainstreamed into national policy."

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How school lunches measure up in countries around the world | CNN

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For many children, it may be their favorite part of the school day: lunchtime. Yet what's on the menu for this midday meal can vary drastically, depending on where you live, and even could influence a child's academic performance.

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Perfect Day: All the dairy you love, with none of the dairy cows.

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Delicious animal-free dairy that's good for you and the planet. (Plus it's lactose free!)

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Got Milk? More and More People Saying "No"

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Got Milk? More and More People Saying "No"

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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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Browse our products If childhood had an official drink, it would be TruMoo Chocolate Milk. TruMoo After Dark™ is a delicious, decadent chocolate milk made with elevated ingredients specially for adults. TruMoo High Protein is the perfect balance of protein power and winning taste. Real cocoa. No artificial flavors.

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Chocolate Milk Gets Nutritionists' Gold Star

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Nutrient-rich foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt support positive health outcomes.

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Milk and dairy nutrition information backed by evidence-based science.

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No image available And {{products.length - 5}} additional items, click here to review your cart. Nutrient-rich foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt support positive health outcomes. Milk + Dairy Resources Explore Common Milk + Dairy Topics Did you know June is National Dairy Month? Dairy foods taste good and are good for you!

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Meet Ohio & West Virginia dairy farmers, learn about cow care and milk safety, get recipes and see how dairy foods play a role in a healthy diet.