Milk the Moment at the Indianapolis Children?s Museum

My name is Anna Armstrong and I am working at the Dairy and Nutrition Council of Indiana for my first rotation as a dietetic intern from Purdue University. I have enjoyed my first couple of days helping out with the Milk the Moment and ?got milk?? promotional programs at the Indianapolis Children?s Museum. It was so much fun wearing my new, pink ?got milk?? shirt while passing out information about the importance of drinking milk. We talked with lots of parents and their children, who stopped by our table to win a football which promoted the ?Fuel Up to Play 60? program, get their picture taken with a real milk mustache, and have a free sample of milk with a crazy straw.

The kids loved getting free things and the parents loved the fact that we were encouraging kids to be active and drink milk! My favorite part was seeing how excited some of the kids got when we gave them a crazy straw to use when drinking their milk. Most of the children were young and not yet in school, but they all were excited for milk and their parents were eager for their kids to have milk as a snack. It was a great hook to help people remember to use their new straw to get their three servings of dairy each day. Some parents said their children didn?t like milk so we suggested that they work to include other dairy sources in their diet each day. For example, including yogurt, string cheese, or even ice cream on occasion are all excellent ways to get three of dairy every day.

I enjoyed being part of an event promoting health in a way that was fun and reminded both parents and kids how important it is to build strong bones and muscles over a lifetime. Overall, I would say that the people we talked with were excited to have us there and learn more about milk, plus get delicious free samples. Getting three servings of dairy each day provides both youth and adults with nine essential nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D, to lead a healthy lifestyle. So, remember to get your three of dairy today!