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Is It Fair to Ban Chocolate Milk From School Lunches?

Posted on Apr 26th 2011 1:25PM by Neha Prakash

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss

A school's lunchtime staple -- chocolate milk -- may be banned across the country to help curb rising childhood obesity rates. The calcium-rich drink is also sugar dense; and health experts, politicians and school officials are hoping the change can promote healthier lifestyles for the future leaders of the world.

Nam Y. Huh, AP

Though the concept of introducing healthier food options in schools is not opposed by most, others feel chocolate milk still contains essential nutrients kids need in their diet. Others also think schools should stay out of the matter, and let parents, and children themselves, decide what's best to munch on for lunch.

Would you want your school district to ban chocolate milk?

We asked some of our readers, and here's what they had to say:

Courtney T.
I think it's a parent's responsibility to keep their child from becoming obese. Instead of letting them park themselves in front of TV or video games, take them for a walk or bike ride.

Valerie H.
It shouldn't be completely banned...then they'll just want it more. White milk is healthier, so than why not just pick one day of the week -- like Friday, and have "Chocolate Friday." It's like saying good job for the week.

Nicie W.
No...the school I work at uses fat free milk for the children. If parents don't like it then send their child a lunch.

John R.
That's ridiculous. Chocolate milk can be the only way to get kids to drink something even halfway healthy.

Courtney V.
Children don't have the tools to make these conscious healthy decisions. I think no chocolate milk. Quit saying it's the parents' job. It's the schools job to ensure and promote children's health & safety while at school. The kids will get over it...

Mariann S.
Everything in moderation...

5 Comment

Tags: childhood obesity, children + diet, chocolate milk ban, kids + weight, school lunches

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Suzanne 4-26-2011 @ 2:57PM

It's disturbing how much sugar is in the flavored milks. It's as much as a can of soda. I agree with the idea above of offering it once a week. That's what we had when I went to school and I enjoyed my weekly chocolate milk. It was good it wasn't offered everyday, I probably would have picked it.

TS 4-26-2011 @ 4:12PM

As a kid, I put WAY less chocolate in my milk than the pre-mixed stuff they sold at school. Give everyone regular milk, but have the cafeteria monitor dish out the nestle/ovaltine powder to stir it in.

I do like the chocolate friday idea, that's clever.

cleon 4-28-2011 @ 5:22AM

Its sad when we pay more attion to what our kids consume isnt this the stuff we as adults grew up on just listen to ya next it will be ice cream leave those kids alone remeber that song as far as obes goings take it from them in school and they get it when they go home after school so the only ones it hurts is the ones who`s family can`t afford it in school. Lets focus ower attion on school Activites like dodge ball or kick ball or flag foot ball and maybe they will burn the choclate milk off no matter how you look at it let kids be kids and iam sure they turn out as good as you if not better

Peter Leighton 5-03-2011 @ 6:38PM

There are options. MOJOMILK (www.mojomilk.com) is a healthy chocolate milk mix. It has 60% fewer calories plus it provides 10x more active probiotics than yogurt. Kids can add it to white milk and enjoy delicious chocolate flavor and HEALTHY benefits!!!

June 5-22-2011 @ 10:42PM

We had Friday chocolate milk and it was a special treat to look forward to. It should NOT be part of a regular diet. Schools should be an example to the children and adults. I don't know how old cleon is, but, no, I did not grow up on the same kind of stuff kids eat today. It is way more full of fat, sugar, salt and chemicals today.
We were taught health classes, even in grade school, and how to make healthy choices (which of course, as children, we still wanted to choose sugar over veggies, so cleon's advice to let kids be kids and they will turn out alright is off base). If this was taught today, along with healthy offerings, perhaps it could make a difference. It is NOT sad that attention is being directed to obesity and what people are eating. It is a national problem that affects health and learning. If they get junk food at home, at least they will get some healthy food at school. Oh, we were also taught spelling and punctuation when I was in school.