National Dairy Month is celebrated each year in June. This month-long celebration highlights the contributions of the dairy industry and is a time to promote the consumption of dairy products along with the importance of dairy in the American diet.
Dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese contain essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and potassium. All of these dairy products play a key role in building and maintaining healthy bones from early childhood to late adulthood, making dairy foods and bone health key.
Bone mass increases as children and adolescents grow, with peak bone mass occurring in the late teens and early 20s. A higher peak bone mass leads to a lower risk for osteoporosis later in life. Even after peak bone mass has been reached, dairy products should be consumed regularly through adulthood. This will help to maintain healthy bones and lower the risks of fractures and other bone diseases.
While cheese and yogurt consumption has increased, milk consumption has been declining, particularly among younger generations. Many Americans are moving away from traditional dairy products and towards plant-based alternatives. Lactose intolerance and milk allergies may contribute to reduced dairy intake for some individuals.
Current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 3 servings of low fat or fat-free dairy products a day for adults and all children over 9 years old. The USDA reports that about 90% of Americans don’t get enough dairy products per day.
What counts as a Diary Serving?
- Cottage cheese – 1¼ cups
- Milk and Yogurt – 1 cup
- Ricotta Cheese – ½ cup
- Shredded Cheese – 1/3 cup
- Hard cheese – 1½ ounces
With people limiting calorie intake, watching carbohydrates, eating meals on the run and a general lackadaisical interest in cow’s milk, it can be difficult to consume the recommended number of dairy products each day.
Here are some easy and tasty ways to give your everyday meals and snacks a dairy boost.
- Make oatmeal with milk instead of water. For example, replacing water with milk while cooking your oatmeal gives you dairy boost. Milk is a simple cup-for-cup swap, and it’s full of nutrients needed for energy and strength.
- Blend a green smoothie with spinach, yogurt, orange juice, strawberries, and flax seeds. Smoothies are a great way to get more fruits, vegetables, and dairy into your diet. Or try this refreshing and sweet Pineapple Smoothie made with non-fat Greek yogurt and a delicious blend of pineapple, mango, and banana for a tropical delight!
- Spread ricotta cheese on whole-grain toast and top with raspberries and walnuts. The combination of whole-grain toast, fruit, and dairy provides three food groups, a lot of nutrition, and provides a great healthy start to your day. Choosing variety and balance across all food groups is important.
- Try adding a sprinkle of shredded cheese to leafy green salads, power bowls, and roasted veggies. This Mediterranean Chopped Salad combines roasted chickpeas, feta cheese, fresh vegetables and a bold za’atar vinaigrette for a medley of amazing flavors.
This Apple Gorgonzola Salad is filled with rich flavors for an easy lunch or light dinner. Sweet balsamic vinegar is spiced up with mustard for a tasty dressing.
- Milk, eggs and cheese are great sources of protein and calcium. This Broccoli Cheese Omelet is packed with all three, and some healthy broccoli, too that offers immune-fortifying vitamins A, C, and E, fiber and antioxidants. Try this high-protein breakfast for a hearty way to start the day.
- Build a dinner board with cubed cheese, veggies, whole-grain crackers, nuts, and hummus. A dairy-filled dinner board makes an easy weeknight dinner that adds more nutrients to your day. It’s easy to add a little something to please everyone at the table: various types of cubed cheeses, soft cheeses, carrots, sweet peppers, figs, whole-grain crackers, nuts, and hummus.
- Indulge guilt-free with these refreshing Lemon Raspberry Protein Frozen Yogurt Popsicles! Packed with antioxidants from fresh raspberries and vitamin C from zesty lemons, these frosty treats are as nutritious as they are tasty. With added protein from Greek yogurt and plant-based protein powder, they’re the ultimate post-workout snack or guilt-free dessert option.
- Get your dairy on with this Arugula Ricotta Flatbread Pizza with this healthy, high protein meal you can enjoy at home in just minutes.
Do Dairy Month justice this June and all year long. Make an effort to incorporate more dairy into your diet, consider drinking milk more often, add yogurt to snacks and meals, and incorporate cheese into various dishes. You can also explore lactose-free milk or cheese options if needed, use yogurt in place of mayonnaise and try kefir, a fermented dairy product rich in probiotics.
