Currently more than half of children ages 2-8 and three-quarters of children ages 9-19 do not get the 3-A-Day™ of Dairy servings recommended by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Milk at school can help close this gap, ensuring that children get adequate calcium and the other nutrients provided by milk. By encouraging milk consumption, not just in the cafeteria, but through classroom education and other school venues, schools can help steer kids away from low-nutrient beverages, such as juice drinks and sodas. Drinking milk is a "marker" for good nutrition. Multiple studies show that children who drink milk have higher intakes of specific nutrients and better overall nutritional status than non-milk drinkers.

Milk Is a Natural Nutrient Powerhouse!
Milk is among the most nutritious beverage choices that kids can make at school. It is "good" or "excellent" source of nine essential nutrients, including calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorous, vitamins A, D and B₁₂, riboflavin and niacin — nutrients that children need for good health:

One 8-ounce serving gives kids as much:

• Calcium as 2 1/4 cups of broccoli
• Potassium as a small banana
• Magnesium as 1 cup of raw spinach
• Vitamin A as two baby carrots
• Phosphorous as 1 cup of kidney beans
• Vitamin D as 3 1/2 ounces of cooked salmon

View 'Milk's Unique Nutrient Package' and the role of each of milk's nine essential nutrients for good health.

How Much Milk Do Kids Need?
The DGA, MyPyramid and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend that children consume three daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk and dairy products, such as cheese or yogurt, as part of healthy diet for:

• Healthy bones. Diets rich in milk and milk products can reduce the risk of fractures now and osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease, later in life.
• Better nutrient intake. Drinking milk is associated with more nutritious diets and adequate intake of many nutrients.
• Key nutrients for kids. Milk provides, three of the five "problem nutrients" the DGA identifies as low in kids' diets - calcium, magnesium and potassium. One 8-ounce serving of milk provides:
• 30% of the Daily Value for calcium
• 11% of the Daily Value for potassium
• 8% of the Daily Value for magnesium

What about Calcium-fortified Juice and Leafy Greens for Calcium?
Milk, along with cheese and yogurt, are the best sources of naturally occurring calcium, providing about 300 mg of calcium in a serving. These foods have "high calcium bioavailability" so the calcium is easily absorbed and used by the body, especially in combination with the other nutrients milk provides. For this reason, calcium-fortified juices should be a supplement to, not a substitute for, the 3-A-Day™ of Dairy servings recommended by the DGA. Here's the reason why:

• Adding calcium to juice does not make it a nutritional substitute for milk. Milk also provides protein, phosphorus, vitamins A and D, and many other nutrients not provided by juice.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children limit their juice intake to 8 to 12 ounces a day, and that kids eat whole fruits to meet their daily fruit intake.

Some nondairy foods, such a salmon; green leafy vegetables, like spinach and broccoli; beans, such as pinto and red beans; and corn tortillas naturally provide calcium, too. However:

• A serving of these foods generally contains less calcium per serving than milk and other dairy foods.
• These foods also have lower "calcium bioavailability" so kids need to eat large quantities of them to get the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk, not realistic for most children — or adults!
• For example, one would need to eat 8 cups of spinach, nearly 5 cups of red beans and 2 1/4 cups of broccoli to get the same amount of calcium absorbed from a cup of milk.

All Milk Varieties Provide Same Nutrients
Schools meals are required to offer a variety of milk options, including fat-free, low-fat and reduced-fat milk. Schools can also offer flavored milk and lactose-reduced milk. Having access to a variety of choices, including flavored milk, at helps ensure that kids take and drink milk with school meals and snacks. No matter what milk children choose, each 8-ounce serving provides the same amount of calcium and eight other essential nutrients.

• The main difference between varieties is the calories and fat they provide. Studies indicate that the fat level of the milk kids choose does not significantly influence their weight. Another study showed that children and teens (ages 4-18) who drink any milk at all have lower LDL cholesterol that non-milk drinkers.
• Kids eat for taste, not nutrients, and some children are put off by fat-free or low-fat milk. Limiting kids' choices to milk varieties they don't drink at home increases the chances they will choose a less nutrient-rich beverage. What's most important is that children get the 3-A-Day™ of Dairy serving they need every day.
• Regardless of the fat and calorie level of the milk kids drink, make sure they have ample opportunity to balance their "energy in" from the foods they eat with "energy out" through regular physical activity at recess, physical education classes and classroom "movement breaks."

Lactose Intolerance and Milk at School
Most children with lactose intolerance can still drink milk, and in fact, need the calcium and other nutrients in milk just as much as other children.

• Research shows that children can drink small portions of milk with their favorite foods throughout the day to improve their ability to break down lactose, milk's natural sugar, and to gradually work up to three servings a day.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that even children with diagnosed lactose intolerance consume dairy foods to obtain enough nutrients for bone health and note that lactose-free milk and milk products can be an alternate source of dairy,
• More on lactose intolerance...

Teachers Can Feel Good about Flavored Milk
Though seemingly a small detail, flavored milk can make a difference in how much milk children drink. A myriad of studies support the benefits of children drinking flavored milk and confirm its role in a healthful diet. Ounce for ounce, it packs the same nutrients as unflavored milk. Plus, children who drink flavored milk don't consume more added sugar or total fat than children who don't.

Learn more about flavored milk and why you can feel good about it being served in your school's cafeteria.

Organic or Regular Milk?
It's great to have choices in the marketplace, but there is no difference in the safety or nutrition of organic dairy products compared with conventional milk or dairy products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the national standards that foods labeled "organic" must meet, including milk.

• According to the USDA, organic food is not safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food.
• Organic food differs from conventionally-produced food in the way it is grown, handled and processed. Most often, it costs more than conventional milk.
• Schools are not required to provide organic milk.

For more information, check out: Organic Milk FAQs or USDA's Certified Organic Program.