Jamie Oliver has got me all hot and bothered. And not in a good way.
Oliver’s “Food Revolution” is back on TV and he’s got me all fired up. In case you’re not a follower like me, Oliver has started something of a crusade in recent years waging war on nutrition in general, and school food in particular. After some success in reforming policies related to school food in Europe, Oliver brought his battle across the pond and the first season of his hit show “Food Revolution” found him in America’s unhealthiest city, Huntington W.Va. He took on the naysayers — including a memorable lunch lady — and made converts out of nearly all of them. Now he’s setting his sights on one of the largest school districts in the nation — Los Angeles Unified School District.
Oliver has a lot of goals but one of them really strikes a chord with me. Oliver wants schools to ban flavored milk. I can tell you without a doubt that PJ would much prefer strawberry or chocolate milk to the plain old milk if I gave her a choice. And that’s just it. This is one area where she doesn’t get a choice. Flavored milk is a treat, even something of a dessert. But for her daily dose it’s plain milk which doesn’t have the 22 g of sugar that’s in the 8 oz. single serving of chocolate milk sitting in my fridge. Two or three servings of that is more sugar than she needs in her daily diet, let alone just from milk.
It’s important for me to point out that one of the reasons I can stand strong on this issue is because others have got my back. The families we spend time with have similar rules. PJ’s preschool offers the kids water most of the time and they ask that milk sent from home be plain. It helps for PJ to see that this isn’t just one of Mom’s arbitrary rules but one that’s followed by many. So do I judge parents who give their kids flavored milk all the time? I’d like to say that I don’t but that wouldn’t be true. PJ has a big cup of milk first thing when she wakes up. Giving her milk with 22 g of sugar first thing in the morning hardly seems like I’m teaching her a healthy habit. There are lots of tough stands I’ve had to take as a parent and PJ is only three. This is only the beginning. If I can’t convince, cajole, persuade or trick her into drinking her milk now, how can I ever hope to do the right thing on the tougher challenges that surely lie in wait in the years ahead?
jennshoes 
Great perspective. Good job holding strong on the plain milk. My daughter is three, and I cave all too often with the chocolate milk. Sometimes you have to pick your battles, and it’s too easy to give in. But nutrition is so important.
Thanks Jeff. I agree nutrition is super important but it can be tough. And you’re right about picking your battles…I pretty much let her wear whatever she wants as that’s one battle I choose not to fight!
There is one thing that I have learned from working with children from all backgrounds Young children don’t need choice.
Does that sound fascist? It does a little, but let me explain.
I used to think that letting a young child choose was the correct and proper thing to do, but I observed so many confused youngsters really struggling with it.
Young children look for boundaries and leadership, that’s what growing up is about. Boundaries help children feel safe and secure, feeling safe is vital for proper emotional growth and development. Add choice to that mix and you have confusion and responsibility placed on shoulders that aren’t ready for that burden yet.
So letting your child choose flavoured milk isn’t being kind. They can’t understand that flavoured milk is bad for them, all they know is that it tastes good. If you let them choose flavoured milk and then tell them they’re doing a wrong thing, well in my mind that’s a little cruel.
You are doing the right thing by being solid and clear with your offering of plain milk.
I always say bringing up young children successfully is a bit like being the Dog Whisperer, aim for calm assertiveness. Don’t confuse the assertive stance with choice because that is undermining.
Keep doing what you are doing.
🙂
Ha, it does sound a bit rough at first but I think you’re quite right. My 3yo is capable of making simple decisions but no way does she know what’s best for her yet — that’s what all this parenting is for, right? So that when she grows up she can make the right choices. Thanks for the support and for commenting!
Sorry to disagree with you on this one (to some degree) Jenn…however it is not always so cut-and-dried and not all kids take to milk like Addison might have. Rose simply would not drink plain milk, to the point where we were worried she was not getting adequate calcium to grow properly. Maybe if we had just kept offering plain milk for days, weeks, months…whatever…she would have had it, but maybe not. I was a first-time somewhat neurotic mom and willing to try other ways to get there. We all know chocolate milk has more sugar in it, but if a mix of 3/4 plain and 1/4 chocolate milk (or plain milk with some yogurt mixed in) is what made her drink milk and get enough calcium, then there you go. Judge away…
Hey Anna,
Not judging my friend 🙂 and I appreciate you sharing the other side. Honestly I hadn’t thought much about kids not liking it, more about parents caving because it’s one less battle to fight. But when they’re not getting the nutrition they need that’s a real worry for sure. I like the creative approach to mix the plain and the flavored milk together to cut the sugar but still make it drinkable for her. And I know I’m lucky to have a kid who is a good eater so I definitely caught a break there. I do agree with Jamie though that it would be better public policy to only offer plain milk at schools. For those who can’t or won’t drink it, there’s still opportunities for them to get the milk they need at home.
Funny, I hesitated to write about this because I didn’t want to be all judgy and preachy but I think it’s a really important topic. Still a bit awkward but I’m glad to have the dialogue and look at it from another’s viewpoint. Maybe next time I see a kid drinking chocolate milk I won’t be so quick to judge. That would be a good thing…
Oh, and Anna — I MISS YOU!