Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Will Vote on Proposed Ban of Flavored Milk in Schools
by Cindy Ambuehl on July 28, 2011Children in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District soon may not be able to buy flavored milk with their lunches. At a Board of Education meeting in June, a group of parents and teachers proposed a ban on flavored milk because it has more sugar than white milk by two teaspoons.
Proponents of the ban state that the elimination of flavored milk, which has a lot of empty calories and not enough nutritional value, is an important first step in improving school food and beverages. On the other hand, opponents of the ban argue that we should concentrate on eliminating soda and other more sugary drinks before attacking the flavored milk which has no fat and contributes to children consuming milk which has significant nutritional value such as calcium and potassium.
After looking at both sides of the argument, in my opinion the focus should be on eliminating juices and processed pre-packaged lunches before we try to get rid of flavored milk. If flavored milk is no longer offered at schools this would inevitably lead to an overall decrease in milk consumption by students. I would rather have my twins drinking flavored milk over a sugar-filled juice box at lunch any day.
The proposal will be voted on August 24, 2011.
Do you support the flavored milk ban? How do you feel about the food and beverage options offered at schools? Please leave your comments and concerns below.
Good points all around. I’d say going for any of the high-sugar drinks is a step in the right direction. We need to accept that flavored milk isn’t a healthy drink even if it provides calcium and vitamin D when it has that much added sugar in it. Eliminating sugary drinks in general – especially soda – can definitely help in the fight against obesity and diabetes.