Launched in 2000, it has become an annual event and is there to celebrate school milk programmes along with educating children about the benefits of drinking milk.
World School Milk Day is promoted by the Food and Agriculture (FAO) of the United Nations and is now celebrated in over 30 countries around the world.
Supporting school milk
Celebrations can be at any level – from national or regional events to individual schools. In the UK we have a long history of supporting school milk and over 100 years ago formally recognised the role school milk could play in combatting poor nutrition in children.
Schools can celebrate by incorporating activities into their classroom or school lunchboxes. Check out our NFU Education website for some fun ideas in both English and Welsh language to suit all ages and linked to the National curriculum.
Alternatively, children could work in groups to set up a farm shop business and design, make and market a new lunchtime food product using dairy products.
Accessible and affordable
At NFU Cymru, we are committed to ensuring milk and other dairy products remain accessible and affordable to schools to help promote a healthy, balanced diet and to develop consumption trends for the future. We believe it is important that our children, the next generation, know where their milk products come from and see dairy farming at its finest.
World School Milk Day is a great platform to teach children and parents alike of the benefits of drinking milk.
Nutritional value
Milk provides a source of many nutrients including protein, calcium and vitamins B2 and B12 and at least three servings of milk, yogurt or cheese are recommended each day. In this respect, school milk has a vital role to play in helping children maintain a healthy, balanced diet which contributes to their continued growth and development.
Drinking milk in school is critical to tackling rising obesity levels, dehydration and young people’s deficiencies in important nutrients like iodine and calcium.
Did you know...
Did you know a 189ml carton of semi-skimmed milk can provide 42% of a seven- to ten-year-olds recommended daily calcium intake and 24% of their recommended protein intake? It also provides 100% of their recommended B12 intake, an important vitamin for several reasons not least its role in keeping the nervous system healthy.
NFU Cymru is proud to support World School Milk Day and is passionate about ensuring our young consumers of tomorrow understand the care and attention that goes into producing their Welsh dairy products.
Want some school lunch box nutritional tips? Check out these handy recipes.