A mom asked me this question recently. She was feeling frustrated that her kiddo would only drink milk if it was chocolate and she wanted her to drink “white” milk.

This kiddo is one who has a pretty short list of accepted foods. Mom was hoping to “healthify” at least one of kiddo’s accepted foods by substituting plain milk for chocolate milk. Kiddo wasn’t having it. A glass of plain milk was ignored.

Just the facts ma’am.

Here are some of the nutrition facts for both plain milk and chocolate milk:

	8 oz. Plain Milk (whole)	8 oz. Chocolate Milk (whole)
Calories	150 kcal	209 kcal
Protein	8 g	8 g
Carbohydrates (total)	12 g (from lactose)	26 g (14 g added sugar & 12 g from lactose)
Fat	8 g	8 g
Vitamin D	90 IU	90 IU
Calcium	250 mg	250 mg
Potassium	320 mg	417 m

As you can see, both white and chocolate milk provide essential nutrients, but the main difference is in sugar content and calorie levels.

Similarities:
*Protein: Both contain about 8 grams of protein per 8oz. serving.
*Calcium & Vitamin D: These two nutrients work hand-in-hand to build bone strength
*Other Nutrients: Provide potassium, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

Differences:
*Added Sugar: Chocolate milk has added sugar (remember: 12 g of the total carbhydrates comes from the naturally occuring lactose in all dairy milk).
*Calories: Chocolate milk has more calories due to the added sugar (~50-60 extra per cup).
*Flavor: The sweetness of chocolate milk may encourage kids to drink more milk, increasing overall nutrient intake.

So what did we do?

After looking through the nutrition facts, we discussed two different options to reduce chocolate milk intake: offer smaller portions (ex. 6 oz. instead of 8 oz.) or mix a small amount of plain milk with the chocolate milk. Mom chose the latter option and started small—1 oz. plain milk to 7 oz. chocolate milk.

Surprisingly, kiddo proved to be pretty flexible about the addition of plain milk in her chocolate milk! Our goal was a 50-50 blend but kiddo didn’t tolerate anything more than 2-3 oz. plain milk to 5-6 oz. chocolate milk. Nevertheless mom was thrilled to have reduced some sugar intake while still getting all the nutrition in a glass of milk.

Want to learn more about plain milk vs. chocolate milk? Read more here.

Reach out at Karen@CoastalFamilyNutrition.com or call the office at 603-674-2479. I’m happy to help with meal planning!

Snack Idea: Cottage cheese & sliced strawberries

Please feel free to share this with someone who may like to learn more about feeding kiddos!