School Food: Milk

Milk is a source of protein, calcium, and vitamins A and D. Using milk and cheese in school meals supports prices for dairy farmers, and this support played a major part in establishing the lunch program in 1946. Milk also has a high amount of bacteria when compared with soybean milk and can spoil in a matter of hours. Most milk served in schools comes from cows treated with hormones and antibiotics, the use of which has been a major health concern since the beginning of these controversial practices. In addition, one half-pint of whole milk has 26 percent of the daily maximum recommended allowance for saturated fat. Many children cannot digest cow’s milk. It is possible that as many as 50 to 80 percent of black, Latin, and Asian schoolchildren are lactose intolerant.