LA School District Will Decide on Flavored Milk

This is great news!
Jaime Oliver has launched a new food revolution recently and its creating quite a buzz. This is JO's 2nd year on ABC and this time he is taking on the huge Los Angeles school district, LAUSD. In the first 2 episodes, Jaime Oliver and crew have been denied access to the schools, and JO has been stonewalled by school board members. One of JO's focus is flavored milks being offered in the lunch line and how this act alone is contributing to childhood obesity and diabetes. Flavored milks like chocolate and strawberry should not be a staple in a child's diet. The new superintendent John Deasy is speaking up and taking a stand. Last night on the Jimmy Kimmell show Deasy announced that he is going to recommend to eliminate flavored milks in their public school system.  Now, whether this means altogether or not offered at every meal, this is a huge step forward and hopefully other revolutions around the nation will have similar success. 
I hope chocolate milk is just the the beginning and Jaime Oliver will continue to press the school food suppliers and government commodities to offer fresh, additive free foods for our children.

Chocolate Milk in the Lunch Line

Baby steps.  Our school offers chocolate milk and 2% white milk.  Picture this.
Scene 1: Chocolate milk primarily in sight, a few white milks to the side on the lunch line.  Observed chocolate milk being placed on kids trays automatically.  Some kids even said "no, white please" and the milk would be changed out.
Scene 2: Chocolate milk neatly stacked in a milk crate and a handful of white milks laying in disarray next to it.  White or chocolate asked.
Scene 3:  A large rectangular crate with 2 rows of chocolate milk and 8 rows of white milk lined up.  White or chocolate asked.

This is a true story! Baby steps has changed the way the milks are presented at our school and it only took a little nudging.

How about scene 4:  Only white milk lined up neatly in the crate and chocolate milk taking a back seat prompting students to have to ask for chocolate milk.

There are different kinds of chocolate milk.   Eight ounces of whole chocolate milk contains approximately 210 calories, reduced fat milk contains between 160-170 calories which is nearly as many calories and sugar as a 12-oz. can of Coke and skim milk contains 160 calories approximately per eight ounces.  Encouraging students to consume chocolate milk by placing it front and center at check out is contibuting to a childhood obesity crisis.  Chocolate milk should be meant as a treat.

Calcium and vitamin D are an essential part of our kids daily requirements and milk offers this.  One worry is how many kids in the lunch line simply won't drink milk if we remove the chocolate flavor?   If white milk is the readily available option, I think kids will take it eventually.  The chocolate milk can be available, just not front and center, you know the saying, "Out of sight, out of mind".  This is a good habit we can encourage in early childhood as a whole.  Or, maybe we propose to remove chocolate milk altogether for 4 of the 5 school days and offer it only as a treat on the 5th?  Our school is required to offer 2 beverage choices.  I wonder if the wording says anything about how it should be displayed?

Jaime Oliver is taking a stand against chocolate milk in school lunch programs through his food revolution and new show.  Have you seen it yet?

Jaime Oliver vs. Chocolate Milk

I recently started a food revolution and joined the hundreds already involved in Jaime Olivers Food Revolution. One of my goals is to remove chocolate milk from the lunch line. Sit back, relax, and take a look at the funny and informative video.