Eat Better, Eat Together is a blog series by registered dietitians and parents whose stories and advice help families start or strengthen a commitment to balanced family meals and create healthy, successful families. Take the Eat Better, Eat Together Family Meal Pledge at Facebook.com/DairyCouncilofCalifornia.

Many of us know the important role calcium plays in developing and maintaining strong bones, which is especially important for children. But do you know the benefits of consuming calcium-rich foods extend to all ages of life?  Whether you're 6 or 60, the importance of eating a variety of high-calcium foods is critical for many reasons, such as:

• Building strong bones and teeth. High-calcium foods help build peak bone mass and also slow the natural loss that can occur with age.
• Lowering blood pressure. A diet rich in low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains works as well as some medications to improve blood pressure.
• Keeping your heart healthy. Calcium is a mineral that helps contract muscles and regulate your heart beat.
• Decreasing your risks of some types of cancer. Calcium in foods may slow down the growth of cells that lead to cancer.
• Managing your weight. Getting 3 servings of milk and milk products each day may help you manager your weight and lower your body fat.
  

Sharing the benefits of calcium in our diets and helping ensure all of us are getting enough is extremely important, which is why we have recently revised our nutrition education booklet Calcium Connection- Healthy bodies one generation to another. This booklet is filled with age specific information about why we need calcium from adolescence through older adulthood. A simple calcium quiz allows you to see your personal 'calcium score', and also includes simple steps for helping you get enough if you aren't already. Enhanced with new graphics, a calcium-rich shopping list, recipes and even a calcium plan, this booklet is a must read for all adults! If you're a health professional or teacher, these booklets are available for you to provide for your clients or parents with whom you work. It's easy to request your booklets, and remember, if you work in California they are completely free! Health professionals and/or teachers residing outside California can request them for a nominal charge.

Since adequate calcium intake is important at all ages, planning family meals at home that include calcium-rich foods can help everyone meet their daily calcium needs. Eating together can be any mealtime occasion from breakfast to dinner. Benefits of family meals go beyond just knowing that your family is getting the adequate nutrients they need for optimal health, like calcium. Families who eat together also have time to engage in important conversation which helps builds self-esteem and healthy emotional connection.  So, the next time you pour milk into your kids glasses at dinner, enjoy a yogurt smoothie with lunch, or have a piece of broccoli and cheddar quiche for breakfast, think about all of the unique benefits you're getting, from healthy bones and beyond!

Subscribe to the Dairy Council of California blog, follow @Dairy_Council and #EatBetter2Gether on Twitter for more Healthy Eating Made Easier.

Ashley Rosales, RD

Project Manager

On a recent trip to the Midwest, I took the opportunity to visit Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana.  I had heard a lot about this place, specifically as a model for showcasing sustainable farming and agriculture’s role in providing for our food supply to the public.  I had no idea what was in store for me.

Fair Oaks is much more than a model, it is an educational farming amusement park.  This family-owned farm, which has 30,000 dairy cows located on 10 separate sites, conducts farm tours for school groups and families with three main goals in mind.  Show first-hand how dairy farming:

• Protects the environment;
• Cares for the dairy cows; and
• Provides high-quality products that are nutritious and good for you.

These messages came out loud and clear.  Between the bus tour that takes visitors to the free-stall barns housing nearly 3,000 dairy cows where we watched the milking process unfold, the lessons on how the farm uses manure to create renewable energy and the Birthing Barn where we actually witnessed the birth of a live calf (that was suspenseful!), Fair Oaks Farms takes great care to bring visitors into the working farm experience. 

Children were thoroughly amused at Mooville, a play area set aside on the farm that housed a 25-foot milk carton climbing wall (playfully called Udder Heights).  The Moo Choos, tractor rides, String Cheese Maze and the Dairy Air jumping pillow also entertained kids.

The Dairy Adventure educational hall displays interactive exhibits demonstrating life on the farm, how to milk a cow as well as the many nutritional benefits of milk and milk products – the osteoporosis climbing wall was a clever play on building strong bones.

The day rounded out with a visit to the cheese factory and gift shop where I watched cheese being processed and of course grabbed a few varieties of delicious cheeses to share with my family back home.

Fair Oaks is tailor-made for individuals who have never been on a working farm and quite frankly, have no idea how the food we eat gets from the farm to the dinner table.  I left feeling a strong connection to agriculture and an ever greater enthusiasm for milk and milk products.  If you are ever traveling through Indiana, Fair Oaks Farms is a must see!

Please share your experiences on the farm.

Jessica Northrup

The 6th Biennial Childhood Obesity Conference was held in San Diego, California, June 28 – 30, 2011. It was my privilege to attend this exciting event.

With almost 2,000 participants from across the country this was a great venue to build new relationships and reacquaint ourselves with friends and colleagues that share our passion and determination to help make a difference in the future of our children’s health and well-being. This year’s theme was Celebrating Success and Moving Toward Health in All Policies. It underscored the importance of working together in a cohesive direction to successfully make an impact; it was invigorating to hear all of the success stories from efforts that have already been implemented and sustained throughout the state such as: breakfast in the classroom, joint-use facilities, and creating safe parks, sidewalks and communities. It was reassuring to learn how districts have strengthened their Local School Wellness Policies and are incorporating an emphasis on nutrition education and physical education through research-based practices. The sessions also provided insight into how new policies such as the Healthy & Hunger Free Kids Act and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans will impact change in schools.

One highlight from the conference was Dairy Council of California partnering with California Department of Education’s Nutrition Services Division to sponsor breakfast during the pre-conference session, Nutrition Education That Works! which included hands-on activities on how to choose the right nutrition education curriculum and how to become an expert in using the 2010 Nutrition Competencies. In addition to providing a healthy, balanced breakfast, Dairy Council of California distributed the new interactive fact sheet, Boost Brainpower with Breakfast!, and highlighted the breakfast lessons from each of the Dairy Council of California grades K-8 curriculums. This pre-conference session was so popular the attendees were overflowing into the halls hoping to still be able to walk away with every bit of information that was shared. It was a great start to a great conference.

Be sure to save the date for the 7th Biennial Childhood Obesity Conference, June 18–20, 2013, in Long Beach, California. I am sure the conference in 2013 will be even bigger and better!

Tracy Conkey, Territory Manager
Dairy Council of California

It’s hot outside and one of the best ways to keep cool is to quench your thirst with an ice cold beverage! Whether you’re blending up a smoothie for an afternoon snack, pouring some lemonade after a long day outside or enjoying a soft drink at a ball game, beverage options are plentiful. But navigating this wide array of choices can be difficult.

Our new narrated lunch and learn presentation, ReThink your Drink…Tips for Choosing Beverages, was designed to help guide you through the process of choosing a healthy beverage. Learn about why proper hydration is important and how much fluid we really need.  Get tips on the importance of portion sizes, why to consume more nutrient-rich beverages like low-fat milk, and how to avoid some of the common high-calorie/low nutrition beverage pitfalls. Share this 15 minute presentation with your clients, high-school students and work colleagues.

Take advantage of all summer has to offer and quench your thirst with delicious and nutritious beverages!  Follow these simple D-R-I-N-K tips:

Don't forget to consider nutrients when making your drink choices.
Reference the nutrition facts label on the back of your beverage.
Individualize your fluid choices based on your activity level, age, body size and climate.
Nosh on nutrient rich beverages like low-fat milk, water and 100% juice instead of soda, fruit drinks and energy drinks.
Keep track of portions, and limit those beverages full of calories and no nutrients!

Rather than counting calories, make every calorie count. Nutrient rich beverages make excellent snacks on hot days!

Ashley Rosales, R.D.
Project Manager 

With all of the seemingly comparable “milk alternatives” in the grocery store, have you lost a value for milk? Here are some reasons why I keep milk in my shopping cart:

• It’s affordable: A gallon of milk averages $3.30; that’s about 21 cents per cup! Healthy eating can fit into your budget.
• It’s natural: Milk naturally contains significant amounts of essential nutrients like calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin A. One cup of milk has protein equal to 10 cups of almond milk or 2 cups of soy milk. “Milk alternatives” have some beneficial nutrients, but other nutrients must be added to make those products comparable to milk.
• It’s nourishing: There is something soothing about the simplicity of milk juxtaposed with its hearty package of nutrients. A single cup of milk contains as much potassium as a medium banana and as much calcium as 12 cups of spinach. Milk is the main food source for 3 of the 4 nutrients that most Americans are lacking: Calcium, Potassium and Vitamin D.  For that reason, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that everyone over age 9 consume 3 cups of milk and milk products everyday.
• It’s versatile: I like to make oatmeal and soup with milk instead of water for a nutritious boost. I like to mix up a cold glass of chocolate milk after working out. The versatility of milk allows it to fit into a wide variety of eating occasions. I bet you’ll find a favorite use or two with these ideas.
• It’s wholesome: Dairy families and processors take pride in their products so you can enjoy them and benefit from the nutrition. It’s wonderful that we can reap the benefits of milk through all stages of life.

Milk is worth every penny. It adds just the right touch to balance a meal or as a stand-alone snack. This is why I keep adding milk to my shopping cart every week.

Share with us why you put milk in your shopping cart.

Tracy Witmer
Registered Dietitian

We’re blogging about ‘30 Days of Dairy’ as part of National Dairy Month. This carnival is hosted by National Dairy Council and you can see a list of those participating in the carnival at the bottom of this post or find the full list here.

“Keep Youthful – Drink Milk” was the original National Milk Month campaign, which kicked off in 1937. Entire communities across the country, both rural and urban, have embraced it and celebrated in various ways. Some Dairy Month activities include: dairy food demonstrations, parades with bands and floats, cow visits at zoos, cow milking contests, dairy farm tours, or free milk and ice cream cone offerings at local businesses. In more rural communities, you might see cattle shows and princess contests with coronation ceremonies. Visit a creamery, grocery store or local bank in one of these small towns, and you might see a dairy princess delivering smiles with local dairy samples.

The collaboration between farmers and other community members is the basis of what June Dairy Month is all about – celebrating the wonderful products and contribution of dairy families nationwide.

Just because you don't live in a town that has these traditions, doesn't mean you can't celebrate. As a staff, we celebrated by playing a very creative game of Dairy Jeopardy. I am proud to announce that I was on the winning team, however my individual contribution was lacking -- my mind went blank when under the game pressure!

See if you know the answers to these Dairy Jeopardy questions:

• What are the number of children that get adequate calcium? "Only one out of ten teenage girls and four out of ten teen age boys get adequate calcium."
• What are four commonly eaten choices from the milk and milk products food group? "Milk, cheese, yogurt and milk-based desserts"
• What is an excellent sports recovery beverage? "Chocolate milk"
• What is the amount of global green house gas emissions caused by dairy production? "Global dairy herds account for 4.1 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions"

You can test your dairy knowledge by taking the new Bone Up on Milk, ten-question quiz and see how you do.

Share with us your fun ideas for celebrating National Dairy Month.

Happy Dairy Month!

Maureen Bligh, MA, RD

Project Manager

Here's the latest list of bloggers in the National Dairy Council blog carnival:

- June is Dairy Month FUN!, Two Maids a Milking
- Dairy Farmers Party, Spotted Cow Review
- Food Art: June is Dairy Month,  Food Art
- June is National Dairy Month, Wellness News at Weighing Success
- June is National Dairy Month, Dietitians Online
- MyPlate Week, Day 3: Delicious Dairy, Nutrition Lately
- Introducing... MyPlate!, See What's Happening at Dial Dairy Farm!
- Black and White Days Dairy Show and Childhood Memories, Dairy Farm Family

It occurred to me today while talking to a school administrator that there are an overwhelming number of students who tell me they have never seen a cow.  I find that amazing, especially since you  are able to see thousands of dairy cows while driving down Highway 99. Do that many children never take a drive along the highway? It is clear to me when I open the door of the Mobile Dairy Classroom trailer and the children see a 1,200 lb animal, that seeing a dairy cow up close is a unique and exciting experience for them.

At the conclusion of an assembly, the students are able to get a closer look at the cow, as well as a calf.  I always ask them as they walk by to describe some of the senses they pick up from the animals.  Mainly, how does it feel and what does it smells like.  The varieties of answers students say are priceless; anything from she feels like a porcupine, to they smell like milk!

I was born and raised in the central San Joaquin valley, where agriculture is everywhere.  Driving past the acres of grape vineyards, almond orchards and fields with sheep grazing was something I did every day.  I am now beginning to realize that my experience was unique and quite special. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to provide an experience for school children to learn about agriculture and to have an up close experience with a dairy cow and calf.

Kimberlee Youman
Mobile Dairy Classroom Instructor

When it comes to knowing food groups and which food belongs to which group, sometimes it can be a struggle for elementary children (well maybe for adults too).  Some foods the kids are very sure of, such as milk is from the milk group!  Other foods like eggs, ham, and bacon can be harder to classify, especially if you are in elementary school. 

During the introduction of my Mobile Dairy Classroom assembly, I like to review the milk group foods, so students can better relate a dairy cow to their everyday life.  They can usually identify the obvious foods like milk and yogurt -- and are very excited to tell me these foods. However, there are the occasional answers such as hamburgers, bacon, carrots, cookies and eggs are from the milk group.  What really caught my attention one day was the response, Chinese food. 

Chinese food from the milk group, hmm... I'm not sure how students make these connections. When I hear comments that show kids really do not understand the origin of the foods they eat, I feel my job is more important than ever.  I want to make sure kids know what foods are milk and dairy foods, where they come from (a cow!) and the importance of dairy foods in their diet. 

I am one of the newest instructors; so have fewer stories than some of our veteran instructors. We will be sharing more (and possibly better stories) in future blog posts. 

Kimberlee Youman
Mobile Dairy Classroom Instructor

Last year I shared about the Dairy Council of California Trends tracking process. We had our meeting on February 2 and 3 to reflect back on the past year and to project where the trends are heading and envision where Dairy Council of California fits into these trends. This meeting is especially important since we are currently starting another multi-year strategic plan and this thinking will guide that planning process.

As a reminder, here is how the process works. Staff are assigned scientific journals, industry newsletters or popular press to track. They abstract articles relevant to our current issues list, as noted above. The abstracts are stored on a searchable database that compiles the articles by issue area. We always have a lot to discuss -- our facilitator has her hands full reigning in 10 people who are passionate about nutrition education and health!  We had a lot to discuss at this meeting because since our last meeting in September the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Institute of Medicine Recommended Dietary Allowances for Calcium and Vitamin D were released. Also, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization was passed (a.k.a. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act) and signed into law on December 13, 2010.

In addition to discussing how these new guidelines and laws impact the Dairy Council, we also discussed the latest nutrition research. Some of the take aways from the meeting:

• Research on the health benefits of milk and dairy foods (particularly fluid milk) is very strong. It is an excellent vehicle for the delivery of nutrients, contains three of the four nutrients of concern listed in the Dietary Guidelines (calcium, vitamin D and potassium) and contains high quality protein. Emerging research suggests that milk and milk products are protective for heart disease and diabetes.
• Health and wellness education is increasingly happening in a wide variety of settings; at the workplace, fitness centers, community centers, etc. The qualifications of health educators vary widely. Also, as a result of consumers wanting to keep their personal health information private, wellness providers will be looking more at general health indicators and maintaining a positive approach to health education.
• There is an increasing focus on childhood as the time to teach healthy behaviors. Research clearly indicates that early choices (prenatal and in infancy) make a big difference in long term health. Preventing childhood obesity and assuring nutrient adequacy is a major push.
• The school environment (kindergarten - high school) is in a state of flux. A lack of funding is a huge issue and school food service directors are trying to figure out how to implement the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. With high profile attention from celebrities like Jamie Oliver, school food service directors are operating in a fish bowl. Striking the right balance between providing nutritious foods kids will eat at the right calorie levels to promote health and well being and stay within budget make the job of a school food service director exceedingly difficult.

Over the next few months we will further review these ideas as we move toward developing our strategic plan. Staying on top of the trends and staying relevant is a challenge for the Dairy Council of California as it is for all organizations. We look forward to making a positive impact on the health and well being of Californians as we move into the future.

Maureen Bligh, MA, RD

Project Manager

Today, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been released. These guidelines are very important, since they serve as the basis for Federal food and nutrition education programs. They were created by a highly credible group of scientists and developed through a transparent process clearly detailed in this Mandate, Process, Timeline document. Consumers however, may perceive the Guidelines as confusing. 

The new Guidelines have a greater emphasis on weight control since roughly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. The report encourages the consumption of nutrient-rich foods including low-fat milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and nuts. They also emphasize the need to balance calories consumed with physical activity. Americans currently consume less than 20% of the recommended whole grains, less than 50% of the recommended fruits, and less than 60% of the recommended vegetables and dairy foods. The good news is that many of these foods are delicious, and consumers are encouraged to include a diverse range of foods from all food groups.  The positive focus on what foods consumers can include as daily choices offers a fresh perspective for education efforts.

Of course, the Dairy Council of California is interested in the recommendations for milk and dairy foods. The new Guidelines confirmed the importance of milk and milk products in a healthy diet by maintaining the 2005 recommendation to consume 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk or milk products daily for those ages 9 and older. Children ages 2-3 should consume 2 cups each day and children 4-8, 2.5 cups daily. Evidence shows intake of milk and milk products is linked to improved bone health, especially in children and adolescents, as well as a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes with lower blood pressure in adults. In fact, scientific studies published since the 2005 Guidelines strengthen the case for consuming adequate amounts of milk and milk products. Low-fat and fat-free dairy foods are highlighted as foods to increase.

Check back to our blog over the next month, since we will be adding additional blog posts to further detail the Guidelines and the role we can play to educate Americans on how to live healthy long lives through good nutrition and daily physical activity. We look forward to hearing from our customers and how they plan to integrate the new Dietary Guidelines in their nutrition education efforts.

Maureen Bligh

Registered Dietitian