Mighty Milk

Fuel Their Potential

With Milk

Milk is excellent as a mid-morning drink. It provides a nutritional boost and keeps children hydrated between breakfast and lunch, helping them to concentrate and learn.

Below are five ways that milk fuels children’s potential.

Positive African American boy in trendy hat and striped outfit showing strength while standing against white background in light room
Let Milk Fuel Their

School milk can be a great energy boost at mid-morning break, refuelling the body until lunch. Milk and water are the only two drinks recommended by dentists between meals.

School milk is excellent for hydration, which is essential for aiding the concentration and attention of young minds in class.

Milk provides a unique powerhouse of nutrients essential for strong healthy teeth and bones, with more than half a child’s calcium and a third of their protein requirements.

Drinking school milk fits into a healthy lifestyle. It is one of the best ways to rehydrate after an active playtime, getting children ready to learn once again.

Children who drink school milk regularly benefit from a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build strong healthy teeth and bones, with studies showing that those who do are physically fitter in old age.

Why We Provide

Plain Semi-Skimmed Milk

As part of our commitment to guidance issued by the Food Standards Agency and the School Food Trust we are proud to supply plain semi-skimmed milk.

Providing children plain semi-skimmed milk is a small switch that can have an extremely positive impact on their health:

  • It provides children with the same nutrients as whole milk.
  • It is a good source of energy.
  • It has 55% less saturated fat than whole milk.
  • It even contains slightly more calcium than whole milk.

The Dairy Council recommend that children who are eating and growing well drink plain semi-skimmed milk from the age of 2 years onwards.

189ml of plain semi-skimmed milk is excellent as a mid-morning drink as it provides a nutritional boost and keeps children hydrated between breakfast and lunch; helping them to concentrate, learn and play.

Protein builds and repairs muscle tissue and is also a critical structural component of body tissues, including organs and bones.

  • Helps with growth.
  • Repairs hair.
  • Repairs muscle.
  • Repairs nails.
32.5%

RNI for 4-6 year olds.

Vitamin B2 helps break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It also converts food into energy which is vital for exercising muscles.

  • Healthy eyes.
  • Healthy skin.
  • Healthy nervous system.
62.5%

RNI for 4-6 year olds.

Vitamin B12 helps build red blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to working muscles. It also plays an important role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system.

  • Healthy eyes.
  • Healthy skin.
  • Healthy nervous system.
100%

RNI for 4-6 year olds.

Potassium regulates the body’s fluid balance and helps maintain normal blood pressure. It’s also needed for muscle activity and contraction. Along with calcium, milk is a top food source for potassium.

  • Balances the body’s fluid.
  • Lowers blood pressure.
26.8%

RNI for 4-6 year olds.

Calcium helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. This mineral also plays an important role in nerve function, muscle contraction and blood clotting.

  • Strong bones.
  • Strong teeth.
50.4%

RNI for 4-6 year olds.

Phosphorus helps strengthen bones and generates energy in your body’s cells.

  • Releases energy.
  • Strong bones.
  • Strong teeth.
50.8%

RNI for 4-6 year olds.

Iodine helps with the production of the thyroid hormones which help keep cells and the metabolic rate healthy.

  • Healthy cells.
  • Healthy metabolism.
56.7%

RNI for 4-6 year olds.

Semi-skimmed milk is generally recommended for children over the age of two, provided they are growing well and consuming a balanced diet. In line with this guidance, we offer semi-skimmed milk as the standard option for all primary school children. However, the School Food Standards do permit whole milk for Reception-aged children if needed. If a school or parent believes their child would benefit from the additional fat content in whole milk, we’re happy to accommodate this – subject to availability from the milk supplier.

Why Milk

IS mighty

A recent review of evidence by Northumbria University concluded that milk contains a unique package of essential nutrients that appear to offer an impressive catalogue of health benefits for 5-11 year olds.

Download these helpful posters to see how milk can help the children in your care.

Bone
Milk & Bone Health (A4)
Stature
Milk & Physical Strength (A4)
Hydration
Milk & Hydration Status (A4)
Cognition
Milk & Cognition (A4)
Nutrition
Milk & nutritional status (A4)
Dental
Milk & dental health (A4)
Have Some Questions?

We’ve Got Answers

Frequently asked questions
Milk myths

dispelled

The information below is collated from various sources including the Dairy Council & the Food Standards Agency.

Myth

Not all milk is high in fat a 189ml serving of whole milk contains 8g fat, whereas a 189ml serving of semi-skimmed milk contains 3.5g fat; that’s 55% less saturated fat than whole milk.

Myth

Many people believe whole milk is better for children because of its rich fat content and the belief that it is nutritionally more beneficial than semi-skimmed.

Myth

Milk is beneficial at any age, providing essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D that support bone health throughout life.

Myth

Soy based beverages are not nutritionally equivalent to milk as it is lactose free. Soy milk contains only about a quarter of the calcium of cows milk, so if you are unable to eat or drink dairy you should allow for this by eating calcium rich foods in other parts of your diet.

Myth

Our body can absorb the calcium in milk and dairy products more easily than the calcium contained in other foods such as green vegetables.

Other foods that contain calcium include green leafy vegetables, tinned fish, beans, lentils and bread. However, the calcium in these foods can be difficult for the body to absorb, and is also only present in small amounts, which means that to get the same amount of calcium as a 200ml glass of milk, you need to eat 8 whole broccoli spears, nearly a kilo of spinach or 7 and a half slices of bread.

Myth

While individual reactions to dairy products may vary, there is no conclusive evidence linking milk consumption to acne. Factors such as genetics, hormones, and skincare routines play a more significant role in acne development.