Youth & Wellness Education

Food preferences and basic nutrition principles are established early on in life. Dairy farmers are proud to have built a strong reputation around a product that supports healthy growth and development, and your dairy checkoff aims to maintain this critical role for generations to come.


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Fueling A Healthy, Active Lifestyle

Checkoff-sponsored initiatives seek to provide children and youth with healthy, balanced nutrition and reinforce dairy's significance in their everyday lives. These include:
  • Engaging nutrition education resources, including curriculum for students to learn important nutrition concepts through the lens of dairy.
  • Innovative pilot programs to keep dairy relevant and readily available in today's school lunch experience.  

Engaging Nutrition Education In The Classroom

The dairy checkoff equips educators with an array of engaging, real-world nutrition education resources through initiatives like Fuel Up and On the Farm STEM. From curricular materials that meet Next Generation Science Standards and hands-on, themed units to virtual and in-person farm visits, students across the country learn through the lens of dairy and make real-world nutrition education connections that impact their everyday lives.


Pilot Programs Transform The School Milk Experience

The dairy checkoff has also played a leading role in piloting several new and exciting cafeteria program offerings, including hot chocolate milk, lattes and smoothies, grab-and-go yogurt, and other dairy-based menu items and snacks — all aimed at transforming the school milk experience and making dairy more convenient and accessible than ever.

Britt Dinis, Empire Dairy

"Kids learn what to eat to be healthy when they're growing up, so we need to introduce those healthy dairy products early in their lives."

-Britt Dinis, Empire Dairy (Colorado)

Your Checkoff At Work

24.7

Million

Students Impacted Through Fuel Up Initiative

50,000+

School Nutrition Leaders Reached Via Checkoff Partnership with School Nutrition Association

Betsy-Bullard-Barn_Youth-and-Wellness-Education

Local Checkoff Spotlight: Maine Dairy Promotion Board

Maine Dairy Promotion Board offers School Nutrition Equipment Grants each spring. Equipment packages are created to highlight dairy products and have included breakfast carts, yogurt carts, round milk coolers, milk cooler bags, smoothie preparation kits and bulk milk dispensers. Applications are sent out through their partners at Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition and through social media. When the equipment is in use, the Maine Dairy Promotion Board team capitalizes on big moments like National School Breakfast and Lunch Weeks by having local farmers eat lunch in the cafeteria, highlight the new equipment for the students and celebrate dairy. The team also enjoys seeing how school nutrition staff are using the equipment in creative ways — in one instance a yogurt cart was used to serve sour cream and shredded cheese when a taco bar was offered for lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the strategy for milk in school cafeterias evolving?

The issue of school milk and how to improve the overall product and experience has never been more top of mind for industry leadership, along with continuing to ensure nutritious school meals are accessible. The checkoff-founded Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy formed a School Milk Action Team comprised of dairy industry representatives who are committed to collaborating pre-competitively to dive deeper into opportunity areas and develop a roadmap and plan forward.

What are some innovative ways dairy is being delivered to students?

The checkoff prioritizes innovation and is leading school pilots to investigate opportunities to enhance the school milk experience. National Dairy Council partners with Chartwells K12, which serves more than 2 million meals daily at 700 U.S. school districts. This partnership has produced smoothie and hot chocolate milk initiatives that have translated to increased dairy consumption and participation in school meal programs. Also, a lactose-free chocolate milk pilot took place in Cincinnati Public Schools and showed significant growth in milk consumption.

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