Do you drink milk?

[greenbeanmama]

When my husband and his two brothers were teenagers, they went through two gallons of milk PER DAY in their house.  I said, nope no way no how is our budget doing that.  For years, I have worked slowly to get my husband down to a much lower milk consumption.

 

Nowadays, we go through about a gallon a week.  We use it in oatmeal and granola (sometimes), and I use it in cooking.  And milk is necessary when we have freshly baked cookies.  But water is our standard beverage, and milk is considered a once-in-a-while drink.  None of my kiddos really ask for it, though they do drink a LOT of it at the grandparents' house (I think that has more to do with different household expectations).

 

We get whole milk.  We tried skim for awhile, and bumped it up to 1%, then 2%...I think skim milk looks and tastes like water you dipped a paint brush in.  If we're going to have milk, we might as well have the kind that tastes okay.  But mostly we do yogurt and cheese.  I'm not too concerned about calcium levels, and we do eat lots of fresh produce.

[RoughCollie]

DH drinks 6 to 8 cups of 1% or 2% milk every day. DS3 drinks a quart of chocolate milk daily. DS2 drinks cocoa in the winter after he takes a pill for lactose intolerance. DS1 doesn't drink milk. DD doesn't drink milk very often.

 

I drink a glass of milk maybe as often as once a month, unless I've put Kashi cereal back into my breakfast rotation - I do put milk on it. I use milk for cooking and baking, but it isn't called for all that often.

 

Once a year, I eat the ultimate unhealthy food:  biscuits and milk gravy. Milk gravy is made from milk, flour, salt, pepper, and bacon drippings, with lots of pieces of cooked bacon in it. Sausages belong nowhere near it.

[Greta]

Generally, no. But not because I think it's unhealthy. In fact I think it's quite healthy if it's organic, from pastured cows, etc. And even when it's not, it's still healthier than the super-sweet drinks that are more prevalent in American culture. It's just because we are all mildly lactose-intolerant: we can tolerate yogurt and cheese just fine, but milk and ice cream, not so much.

 

We get plenty of calcium from the other dairy that we eat, the bone broths that I make to use in soups, and (I know this one will sound weird to some) when I use canned salmon in a recipe, I crush the soft bones and incorporate them too.

[Soror]

I can't ever remember liking milk, even as a child. I remember trying to drink it, especially when we used to get raw milk but I can't make myself do it. I don't tolerate it well, I guess that is my natural defense.

[RoughCollie]

What? You don't have big Milk Festivals, with a Dairy Princess?

 

We do. We have the Dairy Princess and her Dairy Princess Court:  2 Dairy Ambassadors, 2 Dairy Maids, 1 Dairy Miss, and 2 Lil Dairy Misses.  Their goals are to promote the dairy industry and to make the public aware of the need to have at least three servings daily of dairy food to maintain a healthy body.

 

The Dairy Princess also has a 13-member Dairy Promotion Team to help her.

[kitten18]

DS and I drink milk. We both like it though we don't drink too much, a little over a half gallon a week.

DH and DD don't like milk.

[J-rap]

I used to drink a lot of milk, and my kids did too.  I drank several glasses of skim milk each day.  My dh and daughter drank whole.

 

But in recent years, my kids seem to react more to milk and so I've just gotten out of the habit of having it.  We do have a lot of cheese, yogurt, broccoli and almonds.

 

 

[Lizzie in Ma]

I do not, not since I was a kid.  I can't stand the stuff.

My kids will put it in tea, coffee, ovaltine and cocoa but glass of milk, no.

[HomeAgain]

I don't drink it.  The only person in the house who does is the teen - the rest of us prefer to get our calcium from other sources.  We only go through a 1/2 gallon every week, and most of the time that will expire before we reach the end of it.

[magnificent_baby]

No I do not drink milk unless you count chocolate milk on occasion (yum!). Just don't care for it otherwise. 

 

I eat yogurt everyday and take calcium/vit D gummies. 

 

1 out of 3 kids is a milk drinker. The rest I encourage yogurt, cheese, etc. 

 

We do go through a lot of milk for cereal and recipes. 2 to 3 gallons a week. 

[DawnM]

Generally no.  And now that I am mostly Vegan, definitely not.  

 

However, my middle son loves milk and we do have it around.  

[Carrie12345]

I don't. 4 of my 5 kids don't. Dh does only with cookies.

 

I buy whole, raw cow milk for ds and cooking, though I haven't been since having house guests.

 

We eat a lot of dairy.

[Ellie]

Do you drink milk?

Do your kids?

 

What kind?

 

I am currently having this debate.  Is it even needed or healthy to drink milk?

 

If you don't drink milk where do you get your calcium from?

 

No. None of us in my family drink milk. No, milk is not a necessary part of our diet once we are out of infancy. Millions of people in the world never drink milk but their calcium is just fine. 

 

Dairy is the most highly allergic food. It is a mucus-causing food, so even if you're not allergic to dairy, it can cause congestion. It is also a common cause of acne. Many babies who spend their days spitting up and being colic-y are actually reacting either to the dairy-based formula they are being fed or to the dairy their breastfeeding mothers are consuming.

 

Contrary to the American Dairy Association advertising, milk is not good for every body.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Ellie

[Guest]

NO. I don't. My sob story - I remember my mother making my brother and I sit at the kitchen table until we finished our cups of milk. I remember what the cups looked and smelled like and where every little chip in the plastic was because I spent way too much time staring at them. I would gag repeatedly when having to drink the milk. I would never, ever force my kids to drink milk. That being said, they both have a somewhat healthy relationship with milk and will drink it occasionally. My son drinks all the milk from his cereal bowl almost daily, but my daughter doesn't. FINE with me. Blech!!!! ;) 

[madteaparty]

I don't think it's necessary, but we do go about a gallon a week here. We get raw milk at the farm and kids have it with cereal or hot chocolate. DH drinks dirty chai.

I scoop the cream up for my coffee ;). And that's the extent of our milk consumption. I drink kefir and the kids eat yogurt.

[PinkTulip]

We're huge milk drinkers here - we drink it with every meal, plus my kids eat lots of cold cereal (they're swimmers and can go through an entire box after a hard practice just for the calories).

 

Between DH & I and our 4 teenage boys, we go through 8 gallons a week. I buy it at Costco, so it's less there, but still a big part of our budget and a huge space in my fridge.

 

I don't think it's necessary, but we all like the taste and enjoy it.

[creekland]

White milk?  No, the kids and I never drink it, but hubby will drink a glass at breakfast if I don't have OJ on hand.  OJ is his preferred drink.  Otherwise, no one drinks it.  We use it for cooking (when needed - not often) and the occasional day or two of the week when we eat cereal for any of the meals.  We buy whole and the company only uses BHG free cows.  Half a gallon can last the two of us a couple of weeks if I'm not cooking with it making gravy/sauce or something.

 

Chocolate milk (same company, also full fat) is a regular in our household in the warmer months - not in colder months.  I often have a glass of that per day, as will any of my kids when they are home.  Hubby will only drink it occasionally.

 

Milk is NOT found in any of the Blue Zones (longevity studies) diets, so I doubt it's mandatory for our health.

 

I have my blood tested two or three times per year for maintenance purposes and none of us have ever been low in Ca, so I'm not sure where I'm getting it from, but somewhere.  We eat quite a few veggies (regularly) and sometimes have cheese, but not always.  It depends upon what we're eating.

[HomeMum]

Organic milk is one of the few organic foods that is really beneficial. Organic milk has a better ratio of Omegas, very close to 1:1 for omega-3 and omega-6. 'Regular' milk has a terribly off ratio.

[creekland]

Organic milk is one of the few organic foods that is really beneficial. Organic milk has a better ratio of Omegas, very close to 1:1 for omega-3 and omega-6. 'Regular' milk has a terribly off ratio.

 

Just FTR for anyone wanting to know more of the science, this is not really true.  Here's a (2015) decent science article that talks about the summary from oodles of studies done on the subject:

 

http://www.science20.com/inside_science/organic_milk_offers_no_nutritional_boost_over_regular_milk-153291

Edited October 8, 2016 by creekland

[OneStepAtATime]

I love milk.  I have always loved milk.  I have always drunk milk.  I also eat yogurt and some cheeses and veggies.

 

DH and DD tolerate milk for cereal.  DD will eat yogurt and cheeses and veggies.

 

DS hates veggies (mouth sensory issues) but will shove them down anyway.  He likes milk and drinks milk by choice. He also likes yogurt and some cheeses.

 

My mother never liked milk.  My brother never liked milk.  They get calcium from other sources, like yogurt, supplements, cheeses, veggies.  My dad loved milk and everything milk related.  

 

Our preferences all started quite young.

[Bluegoat]

Yes, we all drink milk.  Normally whole, and we eat a fair amount of dairy products.

 

For five people we drink 8 to 12L per week.

 

Obviously none of us are intolerant - lots of northern European ancestors to thank I guess.  I think unless you have specific issues, dairy is a very healthy food, and its one that my climate and landscape can produce really well - we are really well suited to dairy operations here, and have a long winter where various dairly products can supply some important nutrients.  So - why cut it out? 

[Bluegoat]

We drink it and like it. I don't think it's unhealthy, but I don't think it's essential either. I don't believe there's ANY one food that you NEED. There are always other ways to get those nutrients.

 

Yes, there is no necessary food.

 

I think where people run into trouble is when they start eliminating more and more foods or whole catagories.  Which sometimes people do using the logic that no really necessary food.

[EMS83]

Nope!  Milk goes in cereal, and that's it.  We got out of the habit back when it was $4 a gallon and DH was unemployed (and I don't work for money).

 

I've heard it's bad, I've heard it's great, I've heard it should be drank raw.  From what I understand, the calcium comes from the cow's diet or is added in later; it is not a property inherent to milk.  So I try to encourage a lot of broccoli eating and sneak spinach into meals or smoothies sometimes, but generally, I don't worry too much about calcium.

[LucyStoner]

My older son and husband will drink it a little.

 

My younger son and I won't touch the stuff.

 

I have never, in my entire life, drunk a glass of milk. It didn't matter how much anyone tried to get me to drink it, I never did. Apparently when my parents switched me from formula to milk, I broke all of my bottles in short order, pitching them down on the floor. They never tried to make me drink milk but whoa, let me tell you A LOT OF PEOPLE DID. It was assumed that no milk meant unhealthy kid back then.

 

Clearly, I didn't ever force my kids to drink it.

[mom2scouts]

I haven't been able to drink milk since high school without having stomach pain and digestive issues. I don't like the taste of it, so I don't miss it. My dh and children do drink milk.

[eternalsummer]

The baby drinks milk (mine, obviously).  The rest of us are not babies, and we are not in need of a convenient store of calories over the winter months, so we don't drink milk.

[Sk8ermaiden]

We don't. I occasionally buy some for a specific recipe or other, and if we have it we'll use it for our cocoa and oatmeal or cereal, but it's rare we have it. We generally keep almond milk. And the reason is solely that - no one drinks it, and I got so tired of constantly pouring bad milk down the drain. Almond milk lasts FOREVER competitively, and tastes so similar IN stuff (which is when we use it) that it made tons more sense. 

 

Between this and no juice in the house, all the grandparents think we are terribly negligent. 

[gaillardia]

I haven't drank milk in a long time, more than 10 years. I sparingly eat cheese, nasty yogurt for breakfast once in awhile. When I eat ice cream it upsets my stomach. We have it around because the kids like it but I think it is not a good food.

After my sister saw our neighbor's dairy farm operation she was totally disgusted. She was about 14. She has no problems from not drinking milk, eating ice cream.

Drinking 1% milk a person might as well save money and buy whole milk and add water. It's not that they are taking the fat out of the milk.

There are other ways to acquire calcium, as has been mentioned.

 

[Tap]

2% organic.  I buy a couple gallons a week.  I don't drink milk as a beverage, but will put a splash in my coffee.  DD17 drinks chocolate milk most mornings, Ds21 drinks it daily, DD9 was allergic as a baby so never really asks for it now. DH drinks it with certain foods.

[sbgrace]

I don't think it's all super healthy, but it's a quick, easy protein source.

My kid who needs to gain weight drinks a glass of whole milk a day with dinner.

The rest of us drink 1%. I drink far more than anyone else in the family.

[Melissa in Australia]

We have a house cow and have fresh creamy milk every day. The cow is A2 as an added bonus. I personally don't drink much as it inhibits iron absorption. Currently my hemogloben is only 86. The rest of the family drink lots. But not enough to keep up with the amount produced

[Guest]

My kids drink a little whole milk and cream, usually in kefir smoothies we ferment or in porridge. Water is the standard drink around here once we are beyond toddlerhood.

 

I don't drink milk - way too many carbs.

[whitestavern]

Do you drink milk?

Do your kids?

 

What kind?

 

I am currently having this debate.  Is it even needed or healthy to drink milk?

 

If you don't drink milk where do you get your calcium from?

 

I drink milk rarely. About 5 times a year I'll have a bowl of cereal. Or I use it to make my oatmeal. I sometimes use it in recipes. Kids drink milk rarely, usually for cereal or oatmeal as well. DD drinks it with spicy foods once in a while. DH has almond milk when he has cereal. I'm not really sure why he made the switch, but he did.

 

We buy organic grass fed non homogenized when possible, or sometimes raw. But raw is more expensive. We buy a half gallon about every two weeks.

 

I don't think you need milk in your diet. Calcium is in a lot of other foods, such as other dairy foods, leafy greens, etc. We eat raw cheese, grass fed yogurt, kefir. And we eat dark green leafies almost daily.

[whitestavern]

Organic milk is one of the few organic foods that is really beneficial. Organic milk has a better ratio of Omegas, very close to 1:1 for omega-3 and omega-6. 'Regular' milk has a terribly off ratio.

 

AFAIK this is not correct. Grass fed milk will have the better ratio, not organic.