Flavored milk is a hot debate is schools now. Some schools are banning flavored milk! Flavored milk has vital nutrients that kids need, and kids are more likely to drink milk if it is flavored, plus if schools ban flavored milk some of the white milk will go to waste.

Angela Jenkins a health coach says that “flavored or not milk is the number 1 source of calcium” in her article The Chocolate Milk Debate In Schools. If schools ban flavored milk kids will not drink as much milk and they will not get as many nutrients. For example, chocolate milk has Protein, Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin C. When flavored milk gets banned in schools, less kids drink milk so they will not get all of these good nutrients.

Kids are more likely to drink flavored milk. Some kids simply just do not like the taste of plain white milk, but if you add a little flavor to it kids will like it much more. Also not to mention flavored milk is way better then having kids drink soda and sugary juices. Some schools want to ban chocolate milk because it has added sugar, here’s what Liz Neporent a reporter for ABC News in her article Chocolate Milk Debate Rages In Schools said, “Children who drink chocolate or flavored milk are no more likely to be overweight and are more likely to get enough calcium and eat a better diet than kids who don’t.”

If schools ban flavored milk the white milk will go to waste. Bettina Ellas Siegel a commentator on issues relating to children and food policies did a study on 11 Oregon elementary schools that banned flavored milk, the results were not exactly good, overall milk sales dropped by almost 10% and about 30% of the white milk got thrown away. 30% of the milk is being wasted for banning flavored milk. As you can see the schools that do ban flavored milk do not have a good outcome.

Flavored milk should not be banned. Let kids be kids! In a survey of more than 400 family practitioners a majority thought it was important that children drink more milk, regardless of whether it was flavored or not. As long as kids are getting the nutrients they need, let them drink flavored milk in school!