Almost 50 million children are returning to public schools, and a group of dairy and nutrition advocates encourages parents and policymakers to remember dairy. The dairy advocates say when it comes to the health of students, milk and dairy product options need to be more accessible during the school year. The group released a fact sheet pointing out that milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorous, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18. Unfortunately, the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services say children over four and adolescents aren’t getting enough dairy to meet the recommendations in the federal Dietary Guidelines, missing out on several nutrients they need to grow. Michael Dykes of the International Dairy Foods Association says, “School meals are an important opportunity for children to get the nutrients they need. Now is when we need to work together to encourage nutritious milk consumption every day.”
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