Ann Cooper weighs in on D.C. schools chocolate milk flap

Ann Cooper, Boulder Valley’s head of nutrition services who is also known as the “renegade lunch lady” for her vocal efforts to transform school lunchrooms into nutritional havens, recently got caught up in the chocolate milk controversy facing schools in the nation’s capital.

You’ve undoubtedly heard what the stir is all about… Should chocolate milk be served in schools? The National Dairy Council says “yes” (70 percent of all milk served at the nation’s public schools is of the sweet brown variety), while some nutritionist-types and healthy school lunch advocates such as Cooper say “no.” In between fielding calls from national media outlets that wanted to talk to her, Cooper took a couple minutes to explain her stance to EdNews Parent. (Read the Washington Post story about a push to reintroduce a less sugary version of chocolate milk into D.C. schools).

She believes there are other, healthier ways to pump calcium into young bodies. They should be eating, yogurt, white milk, legumes, hummus, green veggies, the list goes on.

The Boulder Valley School District stopped serving chocolate milk in its schools two years ago. Other districts are following suit. As a parent, what do you think? As for this editor, my daughter is lactose intolerant so it’s a moot point. And my personal taste for Horizons chocolate milk shouldn’t be considered. I don’t indulge often.

Cooper also serves as a “healthy schools” expert on this site. Ask her a question.

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