by Elizabeth Magee, LRD
What was always a staple in my fridge growing up, somehow, isn’t a staple in my fridge now? We were never without it. Someone always made sure there was a backup if we were low. It was almost a crime not to have this in the fridge. No way am I alone on this. That pink cap and pink label were always right there.
Did you figure it out? Milk. We ALWAYS had milk in the fridge. I drank a glass every night at supper and when I ate school lunch (and back in the day, chocolate milk was only on Fridays).
It’s rare to have milk in the fridge at my house now. No one drinks it, me included. Though I like milk, I just end up drinking water with my meals. It's ridiculous, now that I’m thinking of it. I look at a glass of milk and think of all the health benefits – calcium, protein, carbohydrates for energy. What’s my problem?
Thankfully, I’m squeezing in my dairy in other ways. My husband is from Wisconsin; I’ve become a cheese snob, and there is never a shortage of cheese in our fridge. Always yogurt as well. And these both get eaten. When we do have milk, which is rare, I always end up throwing it out because it goes bad before we can finish it – never seems to happen with cheese! 😉
For dairy month, I’m going to try to include even more dairy. Why, you ask? So many health benefits!!! I’ve already mentioned protein and calcium. But also, those nutrients we sometimes don’t think about, like phosphorus and potassium, B vitamins, vitamin A, and our friend vitamin D. Though these nutrients may not be at the forefront of our brains, they are necessary for hundreds of things we don’t bother to think about.
If you’re like me, looking to add more dairy to your diet, here are a few tips!
- Make your oatmeal with milk instead of water
- Order that latte!! Made with milk, of course!
- Skip the sour cream and use cheese to add more flavor as a topping
- Get fancy with your toast and add some ricotta cheese
- Add cottage cheese to your eggs – extra protein and it's delicious
- Make those smoothies with milk and yogurt
Get creative!! Lots of ways to keep those dairy farmers busy!!
Elizabeth Magee is a licensed registered dietitian. Her posts appear monthly on OYT.
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