Should chocolate milk be banned in schools?
Cupcakes have been under siege for a number of years, and now it’s chocolate milk’s turn on the chopping block.
How evil is chocolate milk?
According to The Huffinton Post, the complaint is that often there are more than 3 teaspoons of sugar added to the milk to make it more palatable to kids. (Three teaspoons was the magic number that made kids drink it.) Here is an AP story also on the controversy.
According to chef Ann Cooper, Renegade Lunch Lady of Boulder, CO., kids could put on as much as 5 pounds a year from that additional sugar.
The National Dairy Council has launched a defense campaign – Raise your Hand for Chocolate Milk. Their argument is:
- “Milk provides nutrients essential for good health and kids will drink more when it’s flavored.
- Flavored milk contains the same nine essential nutrients as white milk and is a healthful alternative to soft drinks.
- Drinking low-fat or fat-free white or flavored milk helps kids get the 3 daily servings* of milk recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and provides three of the five “nutrients of concern” that children do not get enough of – calcium, potassium and magnesium as well as vitamin D.
- Children who drink flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs; do not consume more added sugar, fat or calories; and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.
- Low-fat chocolate milk is the most popular milk choice in schools and kids drink less milk (and get fewer nutrients) if it’s taken away.”
(I’m not sure how point 4 is true based on what the Renegade Lunch Lady says.)
Rose has been our only child that will chug tons of plain milk. Walsh hates milk but will drink yogurt so I spend about $10 a week just to get calcium into the boy. The baby will drink milk all day long — as long as it is chocolate.
Now let’s define what makes a milk chocolate. I add the slightest amount of Hershey’s syrup or as of late the lower sugar Nesquik. It barely changes color. (I actually worry more about the artificial sweetners in products than I do sugar.)
When my kids get real chocolate milk, like at Chik-Fil-A, they think it’s like drinking straight chocolate syrup!
I like what The Huffington Post columnist suggested of gradually reducing the sugar in chocolate milk so kids won’t notice the reduction and get it back to like 1 teaspoons of sugar vs 3 teaspoons. Although, I don’t really think companies will agree to do it universally, nor voluntarily.
What do you think: Should chocolate milk be banned from schools? Is chocolate milk being unfairly attacked? Is it really the problem or could the sodas and fast food be more to blame (oh and the lack of exercise)? Does it help your kids drink milk and get more calcium and vitamin D? When you make the chocolate milk how much chocolate (and sugar) do you add?
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181 comments Add your comment
Vork
November 12th, 2009
7:19 am
Ok maybe this was just an East Cobb high school thing but once I got to high school I could actually buy a milkshake and/or cookies during lunch, oh and there were actual vending machines in the hallways that dispensed soda and candy……..and people are worried about chocolate milk???? REALLY?
Have we really solved all the worlds other problems that now we can focus on something as stupid as whether or not we have chocolate milk in school? I think not.
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
7:37 am
HAHA…if we use the argument of some posters yesterday…anything to get them to read…then it should work today…anything to get them to drink milk. This seems far more innocent.
Seems like low fat would be and advantage and counter act the chocolate but I am not a nutritionist.
I do know that schools are WAY more health conscious about what is served in the lunch room than they used to be.
Back in the dark ages…when I was a kid in Chicago, a special lunch for a fundraiser was:
a hot dog, a bag of chips, a chocolate frosted donut and a little bottle of coke ( anyone else remember those little bottles?). The moms would bring in a bottle opener and pop the tops off…
now THAT was sugar fix!
I love how the kids have strawberry and vanilla milk today…we were not that fancy when I was in school
About chocolate milk campaign, school, dairy - Find me About
November 12th, 2009
7:41 am
[...] Cupcakes have been under siege for a number of years, and now it’s chocolate milk’s turn on the chopping block. According to The Huffinton Post, the complaint is that often there are more than 3 teaspoons of sugar added to the milk to make it more …Read Original Story: Should chocolate milk be banned in schools? – Atlanta Journal Constitutio… [...]
Vork
November 12th, 2009
7:43 am
@motherjanegoose
Interesting….I was born in Lombard, if you lived in Chicago you should know where that is. We moved to Marietta when I was 3 years old though.
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
7:46 am
Vork..how nice to have a pleasant column from you this early….YES I do know where that is.
The sun is shining too…we are off to a great day!
Vork
November 12th, 2009
7:49 am
@motherjanegoose
Indeed, honestly no offense, but I never would have pegged you as a chick from the midwest though….northeast maybe, but not midwest…..
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
8:06 am
I have lived in Illinois, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Texas and now Georgia….learned some things, about living in different places, along the way. Location is interesting and how people live in those
locations is even more interesting. Folks in the northeast are NOT too receptive to hiring me at first ( because I live in the south now). Once I convince them, we have a grand time and they are amazed that a southerner could actually teach them something useful…and that I do have shoes on.
Theresa…I think someone once mentioned home made smoothies in the blender….on a previous blog. Would Walsh go for that…you can get some fruit in there too and a large bag of frozen fruit at Costco is not very expensive. WOW..isn’t it great that MILK is actually affordable again?
It IS funny how different parts of the country drink milk, as adults. In Wisconsin and Minnesota, some adults order it to drink with a meal out at a restaurant. Kind of like our affinity for sweet tea, in GA.I am not really a milk drinker but the rest of my family does enjoy it.
lakerat
November 12th, 2009
8:14 am
Wow – from masturbation to chocolate milk – all in 24 hours! Theresa, I would really like to peak inside your mind!
BShepCarlin
November 12th, 2009
8:14 am
If chocolate milk is the only way to get a kid to drink milk, so be it. Tastes change and maybe later in life they will drink regular milk. I HATED milk growing up and drank chocolate milk when my mom felt generous. Now I enjoy drinking milk, just plain ol’ skim. Think we have bigger things to worry about than chocolate milk….
lakerat
November 12th, 2009
8:15 am
Then, again, maybe not!!!!
Tonya
November 12th, 2009
8:17 am
This is stupid as heck. My son LOVES chocolate milk. We don’t buy many junk foods, and sweets are usually homemade. Let kids be kids, and parents need to parent their own dang children. I hate public school now…it’s not very fun at all.
Rod
November 12th, 2009
8:18 am
We haven’t introduced our son to chocolate milk yet (almost 3) because he already LOVES plain milk. If the need arises though, we’d be willing to. Anything to get milk into him.
Apparantly (from the article), the bad side to this is an extra 5 pounds per year just from chocolate milk? We’re only talking about 180-200 school days a year and one cup per day – I doubt this is true. However, even if it is – these are kids. The only ones who would gain that extra 5 pounds are the video game – hang around the house kids. Let the kids play outside and run around and they’ll burn off that extra fat.
Calcium and exercise: a perfect combination.
Kathy
November 12th, 2009
8:19 am
Theresa….I used to babysit for a family whose youngest would only drink chocolate milk. Their doctor suggested using Ovaltine instead of the Hershey’s syrup or Nestle Quick. I guess it is because Ovaltine has more nutrients and is less sugar?
My Little E will drink low fat white milk all day long. I have never even thought of offering her chocolate milk. The only other thing she drinks is water. She will not drink juice….we decided to not even introduce that into her diet. If people think chocolate milk is full of sugar, they should be taking a look at the amounts of sugar in juices!
On a different note, chocolate milk is an awesome post-run drink. It has just the right amount of protein and carbs to speed recovery after a long run. I have it after every run that is over 6 miles. And let me tell you….there is nothing like the taste of a big glass of chocolate milk after running 10 miles!! I know that might sound weird, but it really is good!
Dave
November 12th, 2009
8:20 am
Tonya – school wasn’t made “to be fun”, it was made for learning.
John
November 12th, 2009
8:21 am
Actually, I buy the lowfat chocolate milk from Kroger and mix it with equal parts of skim milk. Plenty of chocolate flavor. I had it last night for dinner! I’m 47 and weigh in at 175 pounds.
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
8:22 am
@ tonya…did I miss it ..ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BANNING chocolate milk…NOT sure I read that but maybe it is true. My daughter does have it at her high school in Gwinnett.
@ lakerat….I also the jump to today’s topic was a LEAP from yesterday….more like a cross country sprint. Guess she’s trying to keep us interested….hahaha!
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
8:24 am
@ kathy…my Grandma was the Ovaltine queen …fond memories. We were allowed to mix up our own and make a mess…not at my house where I lived with her daughter who was my mother…we also could make out own PBJ sandwiches.
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
8:25 am
ooops: OUR own…thanks for the memory Kathy.
JATL
November 12th, 2009
8:25 am
UGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! The whole “let’s remove every speck of sugar from our schools” rampage makes me want to scream! I think most all of us who are old enough to post on here grew up with Coke machines, desserts on lunch trays, plenty of cupcake and cookie parties and bake sales and, as Vork mentioned, as we got older the option of buying cookies, snack machines, etc. When I taught 10 years ago, our school still made and sold the BEST chocolate chip cookies at lunch. THE REASONS THE KIDS ARE FAT ARE BECAUSE THERE IS TOO LITTLE RECESS AND PE, AND PARENTS DON’T MAKE THEIR KIDS PLAY OUTSIDE! Quite honestly, I don’t care if little Johnny or Susie is a tub of lard, it’s not the government or school administration’s place to start running every aspect of our kid’s lives -and ours! They most certainly should offer some healthy options and healthy school lunches (the amount of fat, salt, sodium and calories in those babies is staggering compared to a little chocolate milk). It’s up to parents and the kids to make the right choices. If we insist on taking every single choice in life away from kids, what kind of adults are we going to be looking at? This is a simple choice, and one kids can actually learn from -you eat a bunch of sugar then you feel bad and if you don’t exercise a lot you get fat. THAT is something they could really use in life!
As for chocolate milk -that and strawberry are the only types my 3 year old will drink. He’s never been big on milk, and I never was either (although I would drink chocolate and still love it). We find calcium in many other things, but he’s his proper weight and gets a ton of exercise, so why shouldn’t he have chocolate milk here or at school? And guess what -when he’s older if he starts packing it on because he’s eating a ton of sugar at school, I have no problem telling him why he’s gaining weight and that he must get more exercise!
Also, please don’t start the argument that some kids don’t have yards to play in. Boo Hoo -that’s ALWAYS been the case. That is why there are public parks and little league teams!
Dr. Horrible
November 12th, 2009
8:29 am
Well, considering that Soy milk gives you man-boobs, according to Jeremy Piven, I think I’d rather stick to the chocolate milk thank you very much.
FCM
November 12th, 2009
8:30 am
MJG there is a large group of parents who think if it gets them to drink it.
Our (Elementary) school has Chocolate and Strawberry milk plus Juice at breakfast and lunch. I have seen kids pour these flavored milks into Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops! Disgusting and probably a LARGE part of why they have behavior issues. Additionally there are chips, cookies, and fruit roll ups on sale daily and ice cream on M – W – F.
Get this sugar laden CRAP out of the schools. High Fructose Corn Syrup and Sugar do not belong in milk on a regular basis.
It bugs the crap out of me that I cannot bring McD or Chick Fil A or whatever to eat (or share) with my kid at lunch but they can serve this $hit daily in the cafeteria (I know its about profit not health). It also bugs me that I get notes about making sure the snack is ‘healthy’ but they can sell this junk to the kids (again profit I am sure).
MomsRule
November 12th, 2009
8:30 am
Adult milk consumption in MN is nothing like the Southern affection to sweet tea. I grew up in MN, MGJ, that statement just isn’t so.
MomsRule
November 12th, 2009
8:31 am
meant MJG…sorry
William
November 12th, 2009
8:33 am
Now the food police are raising their ugly heads! I still get shivers from dr spock who proven to be totally wrong. I want fat kids..ok? It is my constitutional right to have fat kids. If you want kids so skinny they become bohemic models that is your constitutional right. However take you Political Correctness and shove up yur a&&. It is has already killed 13 Americans this month.
MomsRule
November 12th, 2009
8:37 am
William, “it has already killed 13 Americans this month”? Can you expand on this statement? I’m not sure what you are referring to….
Dr. Horrible
November 12th, 2009
8:37 am
Wow @William you have issues. And BTW you can totally say ass here…..we’re PG-13.
slimgoodbody
November 12th, 2009
8:37 am
Why don’t we just get our schools back into physical education and then you won’t have to worry about your child being a diabetic by the age of 15.
Zaboo
November 12th, 2009
8:39 am
Screw milk, got beer?
Michelle
November 12th, 2009
8:39 am
I think this is just another way to try to fight childhood obesity. If they REALLY want to fight it, they will make PE and recess (more than 20 minutes once a day) a part of EVERY childs curriculum!
Do I think that drinking chocolate milk is going to make a kid gain 5 pounds in a year…NO WAY!! My son loves milk, as do I. (I prefer the white over chocolate though). If I had to guess, I would say he drinks chocolate milk every day at lunch. He is still just a skinny little thing too! But, he is also a VERY active child. He loves to run, jump and play outside!
Oh, MJG, have you noticed that the milk in the south tastes different than the milk in the Midwest? I didn’t believe my step-sons when they used to visit in IN and tell us that. When I moved to GA and tried the milk, they were right! It is NOT the same. Weird huh?!
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
8:40 am
Momsrule….Wow..are you saying they do or do not like milk as much as we like sweet tea? I know they are REALLY big on milk in Wisconsin and maybe less so in Minnesota. I have not lived in every area in both of those states so I guess I was speaking of the areas where I have visited. thanks for sharing. Sorry to paint with a broad brush.
It makes sense
November 12th, 2009
8:43 am
The drink that most nutritionists recommend after a hard workout, i.e. football practice, basketball practice, weightlifting, etc…is….you guessed it, chocolate milk. Lowfat, of course, as it has the perfect combination of nutrients to help muscle repair begin sooner. They don’t recommend drinking it with every meal and as a between meal snack, though. Parents have to use their common sense when giving it to their kids. Based on what I see in public and read in the papers, not too many parents have common sense anymore.
This is a good concern for the paper and the public to have. It takes our attention away from the fact that our public schools in Georgia are a joke on a national level. We don’t care if Johnny and Julie can read or do basic math, let alone higher math, or if they can tell Argentina from Acworth on a map, but don’t give ‘em chocolate milk, by God. By the way, why does Kathy Cox have so many retired teachers on her staff to answer the phones?
Kathy
November 12th, 2009
8:45 am
Speaking of the crap they serve in schools, when I was a teacher I had to go back into the kitchen one day to see the cafeteria manager about a lunch issue. As I walked through, I saw one of the cafeteria ladies dumping at least a pound of butter into a vat of green beans. I almost tossed my cookies right on the spot. I never ate school lunch again!
On a funnier note, every time I think about lunch ladies, I think of Chris Farley on SNL dancing to Adam Sandler’s song about lunch ladies……”Sloppy joe, sloppy sloppy joe!” Does anyone else remember that skit? It cracks me up just thinking about it!
Theresa Giarrusso
November 12th, 2009
8:51 am
Oh lakerat it is scary in my little head — I troll the Internet looking for interesting stories to share that is how we go from masturbation to chocolate milk — I like to keep you guys hopping!
Theresa Giarrusso
November 12th, 2009
8:52 am
sloppy joe, sloppy sloppy joe — loved that so much!! Chris Farley was hysterical!!! they couldn’t even keep it together — Farley always made Sandler lose it — so sad he is gone!!! but drug abuse is another topic.
Zaboo
November 12th, 2009
8:54 am
@Theresa Giarrusso
FAIL!!! Your comment does not have the typical darkened background that distinguishes the real slim shady’s comments from the others…..YOU ARE AN IMPOSTER…..FAIL!
Theresa Giarrusso
November 12th, 2009
8:59 am
I don’t know why it’s doing that — the dark comes and goes — It may have to do with Walsh being in the name — let’s try it
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
November 12th, 2009
9:00 am
did this make it dark?
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
November 12th, 2009
9:00 am
didn’t hmm — I’ll ask the computer guys – if it worries you!
lmno
November 12th, 2009
9:07 am
My son drinks only plain milk. He doesn’t like chocolate. (He didn’t get that from me!)
I worry more about the possible antibiotics and growth horomone in large factory dairy farm milk. At home, I can buy milk from more responsible farmers, but at school, who knows where that milk originates?
Christina
November 12th, 2009
9:16 am
We haven’t introduced chocolate milk to our son yet; he’s not quite one and a half. However, he does love vanilla milk. He’ll drink plain milk, but he GULPS vanilla milk (even vanilla soy milk). When we first introduced cow’s milk to his diet, his pediatrician recommended mixing it with some vanilla Carnation Instant Breakfast for added nutrition and calories (he wasn’t quite gaining as he should) and to help with the flavor transition from breast milk.
I know that I have hated milk as long as I can remember. From time to time (especially when I had raging pregnancy heartburn), I’ll drink a glass of chocolate milk. But I can barely stand regular milk in a bowl of cereal, let alone on its own.
I’m with the previous posters . . . those extra calories wouldn’t be an issue if schools would go back to having daily PE and recess. When I was a substitute in Gwinnett about five years ago, the kids only got recess every other day, and it was maybe 20 minutes. When I was in elementary school, we had 40-45 minutes of recess daily (broken into two or three recesses) in addition to PE every other day, all year long. Sure, three teaspoons of added sugar every day aren’t good. But I believe the lack of exercise holds greater blame in childhood obesity.
And Kathy, maybe it’s because I’m not a milk person, but I read that study about running and cringed. Hand me a tall glass of Tropicana after a run and I’m in heaven!
YUKI
November 12th, 2009
9:17 am
Let the kids drink chocolate milk at school. I never really liked plain milk, and i remember at school always taking chocolate milk instead. I never ate the school lunch either because I was (and still am, sadly enough) really picky. At least I was getting nutrition from the milk. I agree with what many are saying that it’s lack of excercise putting the weight on, not a little carton of chocolate milk. My son still drinks whole milk because he is not 2 yet, but I would have no problem giving him something like ovaltine. My nieces were always drinking that and they have no weight issues, not even close.
People need to calm down.
I think the poster talking about political correctness killing 13 Americans is referring to the Fort Hood shootings. If the military wasn’t so scared to offend, maybe they would have nipped this psycho in the bud and those people would still be alive. I read this morning that they were worried he might hurt Amercians. WHAT????
ps. I love the lunch lady! That hair net and mole were hilarious!
mix em together
November 12th, 2009
9:17 am
at our house and simply mix chocolate and 2% white half and half in the glass. the boys love it and the sugar is reduced
Christina
November 12th, 2009
9:17 am
lmno, can you send organic milk with your son to school? Mine is still in daycare, but I send his milk every day (for the organic reason). I think his teachers sometimes roll their eyes at it, but I don’t care. It’s one small thing in his diet that I CAN control.
Otto
November 12th, 2009
9:18 am
If you want the gets to be more fit then PE should be an entire class period as it was when I was in school.
Milk never drank the stuff, my doctor told us not to due to being borederline lactose. Let the kids have it, chocolate milk is still better than a soft drink and many fruit type drinks.
Yes Cobb schools had vending machines and milkshakes in High School 15 years ago.
Why are so many teachers retired and on staff? Because, thanks to our PC society their hands are now tied to do the job they used to do.
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
9:40 am
@ Yuki…I loved your last line….great fun!
@ kathy…when I was in HS…we called the meatloaf…mystery meat …and the tacos …coffee grounds on cardboard.
I WAS in way northern Minnesota 2 years ago ( re: 2 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 toast for $2.22) and drove to a little town with NO restaurants. I asked if I could just eat lunch in the cafeteria…as I was sharing a show with the Kinders. The menu was:
beanie weanies, mac and cheese, tater tots and a peach. HHMMMM….something green like celery, broccoli, green jello ( ha) or even green beans with butter would have given it a little color….! They also had milk. No way I could do it, so I asked for a cup of water.
To me, the lunches in Gwinnett County generally tend to be a little better than those in remote places.
Tonya
November 12th, 2009
9:42 am
School can be FUN! Otherwise learning becomes a chore. Why have recess then? Or art and music classes? I was in gifted from 4th-12th grade. My gifted classes were always more challenging but in a way that exercised my critical thinking skills..and they were far from boring.
MJG: I think that is where this is going. Food police piss me off. I’m not ignorant, and know the risks of making food choices for my family and myself. Kids get fat because parents don’t stop them from doing so. Obesity is a factor in my and my husband’s family, so I try to make better food decisions knowing that.
Tonya
November 12th, 2009
9:44 am
For those who asked: Mayfield provides most of the milk for the schools districts in GA.
DB
November 12th, 2009
9:46 am
Ah, the Nutrition Nazies are at it again, I see. (Toasting them with a large glass of chocolate milk! Gee, how in the world did we ever survive school, with dessert every day and class parties with lots of delicious treats and birthday cupcakes? Oh, wait — because we had recess, required PE and played outside until our parents physically dragged us back in for dinner! However, my high school only had one vending machine — in the senior lounge, as a senior privilege — and milk was the ONLY option for a drink. My high school, I think, was rare — most of us really liked the food, it was cooked well and the cafeteria manager didn’t believe in “mystery meat”. During winter exams, she would have hot chocolate set up in the cafeteria first thing in the morning, and dole out fat dollops of whipped cream. Yumm! In fact, her pies were so famous that at Thanksgiving and Christmas, she and her staff would make pecan, mincemeat and pumpkin pies and sell to families by advance order only — they usually sold several hundred — and the profit would be rolled back into her cafeteria budget. This was a public high school with about 1,200 kids.
My whole family likes milk — a couple of years ago, when both kids were in high school and my husband wasn’t gone during the week, we’d easily go through 3 gallons or more a week. The kids were always served milk at dinner, until they were old enough to have a choice between milk, tea or water. Nowadays, they choose water about as often as they choose milk, and they think sweet tea is nasty. Now we’re down to less than a gallon a week.
Thanks for the info on chocolate milk being a good after-workout drink — my son will LOVE that!
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
9:54 am
@ Tonya….you have every right IMHO to make choices for your family. I believe I have the same right and while I am not a health queen, I do believe in a balanced diet.
The problem is that when too many Americans vote for government officials because the will save us from ourselves or promise to take care of us…THEY WILL. The choices we used to make for ourselves will no longer be an option…BIG BROTHER will do everything for us…wow…like eliminating chocolate milk!
If we do not want to take care of ourselves and look to our government to do things for us….that is a fast rolling snowball….right?
We have said this before but MANY school children never receive a healthy breakfast nor lunch at home…they are being fed nutritional servings AT SCHOOL on our tax dollars. I would never turn away a hungry child but parents who entrust their children to the government for most every aspect are becoming more common than not. Scary! I truly think some would let their kids STAY at school, if they could. Yes, some kids would rather STAY at school…just not the ones who have a good home life. It is really sad.
CJ
November 12th, 2009
9:54 am
This is beyond stupid.
I love chocolate milk! It was awesome getting to drink that for lunch at school in those little cartons.
School menus have sure changed. I went to middle school in Texas and our cafeteria was like nothing I have seen since. 4 different main food stations, and 1 sweet station. My friend would have their HUGE fresh made cookies or cinnamon rolls and choclate milk for lunch. Everyone loved the sweet station. I don’t know if they still have that, and the schools I’ve been to in Atlanta sure didn’t have anything that compared.
This was….15 years ago…man times were good back then for me!
Now that I am pregnant with twins…calcium is important, and along with plain milk…I have to get in my choclate milk!
Sarah
November 12th, 2009
9:55 am
My grandkids drink milk with Ovaltine. The boy (age 5) has soy milk (allergies) and the girl (age 3) has skimmed milk. I think the Ovaltine is better for them.
lmno
November 12th, 2009
9:59 am
I could send his milk, but there would be no way to keep it cold until lunch.
I send his lunch with a water bottle. He buys the milk with his money on some days.
As far as PE and recess, at my son’s school they have them both everyday. However, even if they didn’t, there wouldn’t be a chance of him becoming overweight as we exercise at home too.
rc35
November 12th, 2009
9:59 am
I am so sick of dietary overkill done by would-be do-gooders. I grew up on chocolate milk (and regular milk) and turned out just fine. I stirred in Nestle’s Quik and learned how much was too much on my own. Wow! What a concept! Children learning self-control instead of having everything in life measured out for them. Parents should be free to ban chocolate milk if they believe it to be best for their kids, but can’t something still be more fun than carrot sticks for the rest of us?
motherjanegoose
November 12th, 2009
10:04 am
@ Imno..do they not have thermoses ( sp?) anymore? DB…I had a Barbie thermos….did you…hahaha!
Outta here…I will check in after lunch…enjoy the sun!
Jeff
November 12th, 2009
10:06 am
Renegade Lunch Lady is an idiot who is spinning the data to manipulate people to follow her agenda (just like ALL politicians do). Here’s her math:
Sugar = 15 cal/tsp. Therefore, chocolate milk (w/ 3 tsp of sugar) has 45 more calories than regular milk.
45 calories * 365 days a year = 16,425 calories.
A pound of fat = 3500 calories. So, 16,425/3500 = 4.7 pounds.
That 45 calories is about 2% – 3% of a kid’s daily caloric needs. It has no impact!! If you don’t want your kid to be fat, limit the fast food and keep them active.
And, I would tend to agree with point 4 from the National Dairy Council. If kids are drinking milk, flavored or not, they are filling up on healthier calories leaving less room for unhealthy foods.
Amy
November 12th, 2009
10:10 am
Maybe the problem isn’t the chocolate milk, its drinking it everyday. If kids were not allowed to have it everyday then it wouldn’t be an issue. Why not offer bottled water? I always hated it when I had to buy lunch because I had to drink milk. Anyways.. I think our school systems have bigger fish to fry than whether or not chocolate milk is bad for children.
Layla
November 12th, 2009
10:24 am
Milk is meant for baby cows to get to be 500+ pounds. Children over the age of 2 and adults should NOT be drinking milk- at least not on a regular basis. The little calcium that does manage to be digested isn’t comparable to the amount you get from sources like broccoli and spinach or soy products. No, I’m not a vegan, far from it, but regardless of the propaganda put out by the Milk producers association (or whatever it’s called) it’s really NOT that beneficial.
YUKI
November 12th, 2009
10:25 am
Well if they don’t let them have chocolate milk, surely they won’t allow fried fish either! ha ha
(sorry could not resist)
Jesse's Girl
November 12th, 2009
10:26 am
My kids are allowed one glass of choc milk a day…the same with sweets. They can choose to eat/drink this for any meal they wish. But it sonce a day. I typically push the choc milk for breakfast and the sweet for an after-school snack. However…I am not freakish about it. They get water in their from-home lunches. I think as long as we keep our kids active….choc milk at school is not an issue. But parents who micro-manage every aspect of their children’s lives will always find somethign to gripe about. My kids…if they choose…can have brownies and choc milk for breakfast. As long as they have something to eat in the morning…its all good.
FCM
November 12th, 2009
10:33 am
@rc35 you must not have read yesterday’s blog or you would be talking celery sticks!
Sarah
November 12th, 2009
10:44 am
We haven’t had anything fried in the lunchroom in years. They don’t use salt or butter. However, there are lots of carb in the food. I bring my lunch because I am a diabetic and can’t have all those carbs. Lunches are still too fat for the kids and they are given ‘choices’. The right choices are not always made and I don’t blame them. I would have burgers and potatoes or pizza every day if I could get away with it.
If you haven’t eaten lunch with your child at school this year, please do. I always encourage my parents to come in and visit with their child. (I teach 6th grade)
ChocolateMilkDrinker
November 12th, 2009
11:05 am
What next? To make all products without adding sugar?
The parents who are against their kids drinking chocolate milk are simply foolish. Chocolate milk is a great muscle recovery after working out. A glass of chocolate milk can actually curve any further sugar cravings.
Besides, kids wouldn’t be fat or over weight if their parents were to make sure they were actively involved in other activities such as outdoor play time and not allow them sit inside playing Xbox all day, or sitting in front of the computer chatting on Facebook. When kids are kids, they should be allowed to be just that, A KID for goodness sake.
By the way, it’s not always what you eat that fattens you up, it’s the portion sizes of what you eat and if you have a fully functional bowel system. Geez!!
DB
November 12th, 2009
11:13 am
@Jeff: Actually, since a standard school year is 180 days for a student, you’re only talking about 8,100 calories for a school year, which is 2.3 pounds. I am assuming that if parents don’t want their kids to drink chocolate milk, then they aren’t giving it to them at home. :-) As with anything, numbers don’t lie if one looks at them corectly.
@MJG: Nope, no Barbie thermos for me – I never took my lunch, EVER. My mom (the teacher) felt strongly that kids needed a “hot lunch”, so I had cafeteria food every day of my scholastic life :-) Once, in 4th grade, I begged to be allowed to take my lunch, and finally, one birthday, I was permitted to as a special treat. Wouldn’t you know it — it was the day they had my favorite spaghetti, garlic bread and chocolate pudding! Grr!
DB
November 12th, 2009
11:14 am
@FCM – Omigosh, that made me spew Diet Coke all over my keyboard!!!!!! Good shot! I will never look at a carrot stick the same way again!
Vork
November 12th, 2009
11:16 am
@Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
This topic is getting stale.
Here’s a topic that should send the helicopter moms into orbit:
A study published in 2007 by researches from Columbia and Stanford University found that frequently-praised kids eventually came to believe that intelligence and talent were things they were born with, things which under no possible circumstances could be improved. Consequently, they avoided academic situations that presented any kind of challenge and refused to see the value in any activity that required effort, because if they were so freaking amazing, nothing worth doing should be hard, right?
As a result, their grades dropped and they developed motivation and, ironically, self-esteem issues. So the lesson here is, make your kid realize the value of hard work and honest effort before they self-tan themselves orange and pop their collars. By then, it will be too late.
Because you’ll want proof: http://tomweston.net/RaisingSmartKids.pdf
new stepmom
November 12th, 2009
11:28 am
Amen Layla. I hate milk, but know I get plenty of calcium from veggies and other things. Milk is way overrated.
Let kids play and burn calories and this would be a non topic!
penguinmom
November 12th, 2009
11:29 am
as far as the weight gain, the key word there is ‘could’. I didn’t see any studies quoted showing that drinking chocolate milk had been proven to add weight.
Personally, I don’t drink plain milk. Growing up if I had not had the option of chocolate milk I would have no milk. I don’t like yogurt or cheese (except on pizzas) so taking away chocolate milk would have completely eliminated dairy products from my diet. On the other hand, I’m not a big candy or dessert eater so it is balanced out a little.
As far as the gaining 5 pounds, I was the skinniest little kid ever and I drank 2 chocolate milks every day at lunch.
new stepmom
November 12th, 2009
11:29 am
Vork, excellent article.
Nah, Vork...
November 12th, 2009
11:30 am
We’ll stick with chocolate milk.
You guys sound like...
November 12th, 2009
11:32 am
…the “Christmas Story” kid – “Drink your Ovaltine”!
Chocolate Milk
November 12th, 2009
11:41 am
Hey lady, your camel called. It wants its toe back. Related: leggings are not pants.
deidre_NC
November 12th, 2009
12:07 pm
@layla…i agree…we do drink milk but it has never been a have to part of our diet..none of my kids are overweight (older daughter has to watch her weight and does a great job of it) my dad (a farmer )always said that milk was for baby cows not people. there are many other natural ways to get the nurtients that we get from milk…we all like chocolate milk or regular milk…but we dont drink it constantly.as others have said-if the kids actually got a chance to exert themselves there wouldnt be so much obesity…where i live (very rural nc mountain community) there arent many obese kids..they actually have recess and play–most are involved in sports…and they still play outside..riding bikes..climbing trees…chasing each other-etc…look at most kids lives today…they wake up..go to school…at recess they stand around talking…go home (by vehicle of some kind) watch tv or play on the computer…we cant expect any diet to make up for these things…look at back in the day..huge breakfast loaded with cholesterol…huge dinner (noon meal) and supper usually lighter than noon meal..people werent generally fat because they actually did physical work…or play…people didnt have time to sit at the computer or tv (there wasnt many lol) but really…when are people gonna figure out that exercise is the only way to stay healthy…exercise can make up for a lot of dietary lacks. but diet cannot make up for lack of exercise. i think kids at school should at the very least be made to run a certain number of laps at recess every day. they dont need to have recess where they can go sit around and talk and have no activity….
deidre_NC
November 12th, 2009
12:10 pm
and vork…great article..and lots of times true…my older son is very smart and he never thought he needed to do anything extra…or even do what he had to do…he made 100’s on all tests…he got the shock of his life when he made a bad grade because he didnt think he needed to do his homework because he already knew all the stuff….that was when he was 10…but yeah…a lot of times the worst part of having a very intelligent child is motivation..lots of very intelligent kids are not motivated to go a step beyond at all…
JATL
November 12th, 2009
12:21 pm
@Vork -this study was part of the basis for the book “Nurture Shock” that recently came out. It’s EXCELLENT and every parent out there should read it -particularly if they have young kids. Like you point out, kids who are praised constantly for every little thing can’t handle it when they meet a big challenge and will do almost anything to avoid it. Kids who haven’t been ridiculed but who are told, “Hey, it’s important that you tried, but you need to do a little better next time -you ready to try again?” constantly out-perform the constant praise kids. They’re also not afraid of a challenge!
Dave
November 12th, 2009
12:35 pm
Vork hates all the posters here, never likes the topics discussed, goes out of “his” way to insult the people in here.
Why does he post here? I guess he really has no life.
MaryKay
November 12th, 2009
12:41 pm
So, Vork wants parents to tell their children how dumb and useless they are instead of praising them. Given his normal comments over the past couple weeks, I can see that’s the kind of dad he is. Condemning and hateful to his kids.
deidre_NC
November 12th, 2009
12:49 pm
vork never said to tell your kids how dumb and useless they are….the point is to make them realize that altho they may have superior intelligence it takes more than that to make it in the world. it takes notivation, honor, integrity….lots more than just a high IQ…i can prove that with my own kids and have seen it a lot…people think that people who are in prisons are lower class people who are on the low end of the intelligence totem pole..that is not always true…there are a lot of people in prison who are very intelligent and were never taught that. yo can instill these things in your kids without telling them they are dumb and useless….where did you get that from anyway? it doesnt say anything like that in his post.
Vork
November 12th, 2009
12:55 pm
@Dave, @MaryKay
WOW, such insight you have into my life…….Please tell me what I had for breakfast?
Uh , oh - Vork...
November 12th, 2009
1:07 pm
…is beginning to sound like motherjanegoose – all knowing with thin skin – easily manipulated into a defensive posture. What a girly man….
Jesse's Girl
November 12th, 2009
1:11 pm
I must be really bad then….I tell my kids you can try anything you wish. But that doesn’t mean you will be good at it. The point is, to try…feel things out. I have an exceptionally gifted child. But her lack of commom sense is astounding:) We work on that with her daily….the other 2 aren’t intelligent int he same ways…but infinitely more creative and one of them has so much street smarts, it frightneing. Every kid is different….but if you tell your kid that they can do anything they set their mind to…you’re setting them up for a huge failure. The stooges that go on American Idol are case in point:)
Vork
November 12th, 2009
1:12 pm
@Uh , oh – Vork…
LOL not hardly…I have far more wit and I am much more entertaining.
Erin
November 12th, 2009
1:17 pm
The chocolate milk at our schools were always skim. The regular milk came in skim, 2% and whole. Depending on the brand, there may be little calorie difference between the skim chocolate and the regular whole, but I see few people calling for children to switch to skim (at school age they are all old enough to do so).
It is also still likely better than soda or many of the fruit “juices”. Maybe it’s not perfect, but there are far worse school food culprits than chocolate milk.
Chocolate Milk
November 12th, 2009
1:18 pm
My milkshake brings all the people to the yard.
deidre_NC
November 12th, 2009
1:28 pm
well said JG….i dont know when it got started telling your kids they can be anything they want…if i wanted to be a mathetitician (cant even spell it lol) i couldnt because i suck at math. it fasinates me but i suck at it. kids can try anything they want…and they may be great at it…they may not be…thats whats important..is the MOTIVATION to want to TRY!!!!!
Hunter of MILF
November 12th, 2009
1:34 pm
@deidre_NC
How you doin?
Tanya
November 12th, 2009
1:36 pm
Honestly if there weren’t lowfat choc milk at school when I was growing up, I would NEVER had drank any milk. I still to this day dislike white milk. Let’s be realistic here. Kids are not obese in this country because of lowfat choc milk!
About chocolate milk campaign, school, kids, dairy, national - Find me About
November 12th, 2009
1:47 pm
[...] Cupcakes have been under siege for a number of years, and now it’s chocolate milk’s turn on the chopping block. According to The Huffinton Post, the complaint is that often there are more than 3 teaspoons of sugar added to the milk to make it more …Read Original Story: Should chocolate milk be banned in schools? – Atlanta Journal Constitutio… [...]
DB
November 12th, 2009
2:01 pm
I once had a boss who maintained that there were four kinds of people in the world: Smart and hardworking, smart and lazy, dumb and hardworking, dumb and lazy. His point was that the smart and hardworking ones always rose to the top; the dumb and hardworking ones usually got by, and the dumb and lazy ones were generally no bother, because they didn’t last long. But it was the smart and lazy ones that made you want to beat your head against the wall every time.
Praise is just like ice cream — it’s great stuff, but better if you don’t have it three times a day. :-)
Uh , oh - Vork...
November 12th, 2009
2:02 pm
…based on your response “I have far more wit and I am much more entertaining”, well, you are just as self absorbed “my clients tell me all the time how good I am” – just as she, and you, tell us how good y’all are! See, just like her!
JJ
November 12th, 2009
2:04 pm
The schools should just throw ALL the institutional food out, and bring in a HUGE bowl of fresh fruit and veggies and put some bottled water on a table next to it. Problemo Solved.
Except there will be a few parents who will be upset their little fatties can’t get a good sugary fattening meal……
Uh , oh - Vork...
November 12th, 2009
2:23 pm
Dude, I blew some guy for your bail money. I want that ten minutes of my life back. And some mouthwash.
The number of stuffed animals in my back window is inversely proportionate to the number of times I’ve had sex with a human being.
Vork
November 12th, 2009
2:28 pm
@Uh , oh – Vork…
You know, I was wondering if maybe you had some mental problems….but now I think I have my answer.
Becky
November 12th, 2009
2:44 pm
It should be up to each parent if their child has chocolate milk not the freaking government..
Layla, I drink mile every day..Because I like it..I’m not a 500lb cow..My two little ones drink milk any time that they want it..
Vork, I didn’t click on the link you sent, but based on what your saying, I can believe that..I have two older brothers that are very smart, yet neither one of them strive to do anything more than they have to..Like diedre_NC said, the one brother spent 4 years in prison and while he was there, he tested with a genius IQ level..He won a full 4 year scholarship to any college in GA. that he wanted to attend..Went one semester to KS, and dropped out..
As for Vorks comments in the past, that is just what they are..In the past..Not everyone has always aggreed with him, but he does offer lots of topics that are interesting..Like anyone, if I don’t like what one poster says, I just skim over it and go on..Not a lot of reason to be name calling..
Becky
November 12th, 2009
2:52 pm
oops, should say milk not mile..
Hunter of MILF
November 12th, 2009
2:53 pm
Winks @Becky
Sorry, Vork...
November 12th, 2009
2:54 pm
…the 2:23pm “Uh Oh – Vork”post was by a troll – but, I am demented in my own way – thanks for noticing, though.
RJ
November 12th, 2009
2:55 pm
Chocolate milk should stay. I never liked white milk either, but chocolate was my favorite. The milk is lowfat anwyay,
@JJ, I disagree. My kids are far from fat, but I would definitely have a problem with them only serving fruit and raw vegetables.
Sorry, Vork...
November 12th, 2009
3:00 pm
Mom just found my Amazon wishlist. I’m going to get one of two things for Christmas: a really cool vibrator or disowned.
Hunter of MILF
November 12th, 2009
3:02 pm
@Sorry, Vork…
How you doin?
Sorry, Vork...
November 12th, 2009
3:04 pm
@MILF – I’m doin’ myself…and you?