It’s not for the obvious reasons. Though I get passionate about junk at school parties and junk at school breakfasts (read: “I Have No Love for Candy Valentines” and “The Trouble with School Breakfast“), I haven’t gotten fired up about chocolate milk.
I know lots of people disagree–and I totally get why they do. I’d love to have water offered as a choice in cafeterias, and I’d like chocolate milk to be made without thickeners and added colors. (See Spoonfed‘s post “Orthorexia vs. chocolate milk: Will the real eating disorder please stand up?“)
But in my book, there are much bigger fish to fry when it comes to school food. I’d much rather see my child washing down a healthy real-food lunch with chocolate milk than eating a breaded chicken patty sandwich out of a plastic bag with a carton of white milk. Parents are outraged about chocolate milk. I’d like to see those emotions directed to the actual food that’s served every day.
The sugar in chocolate milk–about three teaspoons of added sugar (the rest is natural milk sugar)–is not coming from an empty-calorie source. If we’re going to get mad about the sugar in flavored milk, let’s stop sending gummy fruit snacks in kids’ lunchboxes.
I once heard a fellow dietitian refer to chocolate milk as “a glass of milk and a cookie”. When my son decided he wanted to start buying chocolate milk at lunchtime earlier this year, I stopped putting any sweet treats (like a Hershey’s Kiss or a homemade cookie) in his lunchbox. And we talked about the sugar in the flavored milk and how it was important to balance it out. (He actually got tired of chocolate milk after a week or two and stopped buying it.)
It was also heartening to me that in the last few years, manufacturers worked to lower the sugar content in the flavored milk they provide to schools.
But here’s why I’m worried: The International Dairy Foods Association and the National Milk Producers Federation have petitioned the FDA for permission to add aspartame to flavored milk without labeling the cartons with statements such as “artificially sweetened” or “reduced calorie”. (Read this thorough summary of the issue from The Lunch Tray and how it this ruling could have implications for many other dairy products.)
Now THIS is something I can get fired up about. Because I hate when manufacturers respond to consumer demand for less sugar by lowering the sugar content–and adding artificial sweeteners (read one my very first blog posts: “Total Bummer“). This happens with Quaker Lower Sugar Instant Oatmeal. It even happens with Stonyfield yogurt. If consumers want products with less sugar, here’s a crazy idea: MAKE A PRODUCT WITH LESS SUGAR. Everything in our food supply does not have to be sticky sweet.
Frankly, aspartame in flavored milk–given to school children all over the country–scares me. I know some people find the added sugar and colors in chocolate milk just as harmful as artificial sweeteners. But we all have our lines in the sand. This is mine. I find it insulting that “diet milk” is being promoted as some kind of solution for childhood obesity. And I find it deceptive that the dairy industry wants to add aspartame without disclosing it on the front label.
If you have an opinion about the labeling of artificially-sweetened milk and other dairy products and want to have your voice heard, you can comment on the FDA petition here.
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Sally says
Thanks Bettina. Just finished reading your Jamie Oliver post, and I totally agree–especially with whether this is the best use of our energy. When he did his segment with the school bus full of sugar, I felt like it wasn’t accurate or fair (but it sure got a lot of attention!). Thanks for alerting me to this issue of aspartame/labeling too!
Bettina at The Lunch Tray says
Sally: Here, here! And for RMN readers who share our worry regarding aspartame and other artificial sweeteners being added, without front label labeling, in milk and 17 other dairy products, please take just one minute to let the FDA know how you feel. The comment link is at the end of my post: http://www.thelunchtray.com/is-the-dairy-industry-using-school-kids-as-a-trojan-horse-to-change-artificial-sweetener-labeling-rules/
Also, Sally, it sounds like you and I are in agreement the inclusion of sugar-sweetened chocolate milk in school cafeterias. When Jamie Oliver made it his cause to get it eliminated, I raised some questions: http://www.thelunchtray.com/my-problem-with-jamie-olivers-war-on-flavored-milk/
Stacy@School-Bites.com says
Just left a comment for the FDA. It’s already hard enough for consumers to comprehend what’s in their food. I definitely rely on front label disclosure to avoid artificially sweetened food products. All I have to do is see the words “reduced calorie” or “artificially sweetened” and I know to look no further. I really appreciate you and Bettina at The Lunch Tray bringing attention to this issue.
Sally says
Thanks Stacy! I agree that front-of-package labeling is important. Too often, artificial sweeteners get buried on that long list of ingredients–I know I’ve accidentally bought products I thought were simply “lower in sugar”.
Erika says
I agree with you Sally. Yes, of course plain milk or water is better. But to me choc milk is not the worst thing my kids can drink. I agree that the quality of the entire meal is more important about the extra sugar in the milk. And I’m 100% with you on reducing the sugar & adding artificial is worse! Reduce the sugar yes but no artificials! Signing the petition.
Sally says
Erika–so glad to hear you’re leaving a comment on the petition. We need to have our voices heard and let the FDA know that we do not support this! Thanks for your input.
Kiki says
Definitely signing this petition! I check the labels on EVERYTHING. Fake sugar is the #1 thing I look for. It is quite surprising how many foods have this “offender” hidden in the list of ingredients.
Thanks for the continued awareness.
Sally says
Kiki–Thanks for leaving your comments for the FDA!
Kiki says
No problem!! I just e-mailed the link to friends and family!
Robin Jingjit says
That aspartame thing is terrible. Given food today, I can’t say I’m surprised, but no labeling??
What I don’t like about chocolate milk is when it becomes a given. Our kids get milk in the morning, and they can choose plain or chocolate when they go down to recess. If there is ever indoor recess and they bring milk to the room, they bring only chocolate. I don’t like that they don’t have a chance to make a better choice. If they brought plain, kids would take it.
Chocolate milk actually isn’t as bad as many of the other flavored ones we have here in Thailand, though. Yogurt milk is popular and almost every one is artistically colored and flavored. There is also banana, pandanus, vanilla, strawberry, and flavors like that.
Luanne Bannon says
Couldn’t agree more about the idea of aspartame in flavored milk! Ingredients are so important when it comes to products for kids. Right from the start we should all be concerned about what’s really in the foods we’re feeding children. You might want to take a look at the new FoodFacts.com Baby & Toddler Nutrition Guide which compiles ingredient information on hundreds of products for little ones. http://www.foodfacts.com/foodfacts-baby
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Anne says
Oh! Don’t get me started on the talks to remove potatoes from schools!
The oil they’re fried in sure, but something that comes straight from the earth!?!
Rant over. Thank you for intelligently discussing an important issue!
Nour Zibdeh--Nourition says
This is crazy! No labeling is terrible, especially that I work with people with food sensitivities. I tell my kids that chocolate milk is dessert, not an every day food, but I’m willing to give it to them before thousand other terrible foods and drinks that are sold in supermarkets. I’d rather give my kids real sugar than aspartame. Thank you for writing about this!