03/31/08 Milk In Schools

Milk is getting a whole new look in schools, from it's packaging, remember those little square cartons, to its color. It's not just white anymore. Now with the choice of white, chocolate or strawberry milk in recyclable plastic bottles kids can have their milk and feel cool about it. In a recent student survey, 94% of the children said that the school milk in the plastic bottle was "better" compared to the identical milk in a paper carton. A large percentage of kids said it was easier to open and to drink from the plastic bottles. And shhhh, don't tell them, but it's good for them. Flavored milk, like white milk, provides children with three of the five nutrients that are known to fall short in children's diets: calcium, potassium and magnesium. As a mom I would much rather milk vending machines be offered in schools as opposed to soft drinks. In fact a milk vending machine might just be the thing my kitchen needs. I've always been a strawberry milk kind of girl myself.