Pressed with Higher Summer Grocery Costs, Moms Seek To Balance Budgets and Nutrition
New Survey Finds Kids' Top Summer Beverages Don't Meet Moms' Approval
WASHINGTON, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Finding healthy ways to help kids beat the heat can be tough, but now moms face another challenge: selecting nutritious treats that won't burn a hole in their wallets. A new "Summer Sipper Survey" conducted by the national Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign polled more than 1,000 moms across the U.S., and found that nearly half (46%) of respondents said their grocery bills go up in the summer when the kids are out of school. And some of kids' summertime favorites don't add up when it comes to nutritional or dollar value.
What's likely filling moms' summer grocery carts are nutrient-void, sugary beverages - moms report fruit drinks (56%) and slushies (43%) among their children's top summertime drinks - yet 84% are looking for healthy beverage alternatives. With price (84%), taste (72%) and nutrition (67%) being the driving factors for moms in summer snack selections for their families, the answer is right in the refrigerator.
At less than 25 cents per 8-ounce glass, on a gallon basis, milk offers more nutrients per penny than almost any other beverage option in the supermarket, especially considering all the liquid assets inside. Milk is one of the most nutrient-rich beverages moms can buy, supplying nine essential nutrients the entire family needs, including calcium, vitamin D, protein, vitamin A and potassium. Other beverages fall short on nutrients and can cost up to seven times the amount of one serving of milk.
"Kids are at home more during the summer months, so there's more reason than ever to focus on the nutritional and economic value of food choices to tame bulging bills," said Lolita Carrico, mom blogger and founder of Modern Mom Inc. "Moms can make sure they're getting the best bang for their buck at the grocery store by keeping products like milk on their shopping list. Kids always enjoy a cold glass of milk, but you can also 'think outside the glass.' Milk is a nutrient-rich beverage that can be added to pump-up the nutrition in smoothies and other refreshing treats."
It's important not to skimp on the three glasses per day of lowfat or fat free milk recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Studies suggest that milk drinkers tend to have healthier diets and are more likely to be at a healthy weight.(1, 2, 3)
Make Nutritional "Cents" of Summer Treats
Other beverages such as soda, sports drinks, and enhanced water can't stack up against the nutritional and economic value of milk. Check out the "The Value of a Quarter" tool on whymilk.com to compare the nutritional value of a quarter's worth of milk to a variety of favorite summertime beverages. Also visit Whymilk.com for tips for healthy summer snacking that won't break the bank and great-tasting, nutritious recipes for easy make-at-home summertime treats, like a Banana Delight smoothie.
About the National Milk Mustache "got milk?"(R) Campaign
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The MilkPEP Board runs the national Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk. For more information, go to www.whymilk.com. Lowe New York is the creative agency for The National Milk Mustache "got milk?"(R) campaign.
Survey Methodology
The "Summer Sipper Survey" of a random sample of 1,030 moms 18+ with children in the home was conducted in June 2009 by Impulse Research, Los Angeles using an e-mail invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. population ages 18 and older. The overall sampling error for this survey is + or - 3% at the 95% rate of confidence.
(1) Douglass J, Murphy M, Barr S, Johnson R, Frye C. Associations between patterns of beverage consumption and nutrient intakes and BMI in the U.S. FASEB Journal; 2007: A833.5.
(2) Ochner CN, Lowe MR. Self-reported changed in dietary calcium and energy intake predict weight regain following a weight loss diet in obese women. Journal of Nutrition. 2007;137:2324-2328.
(3) Murphy MM, et al. Drinking flavored or plain milk is positively associated with nutrient intake and is not associated with adverse effects on weight status in US children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108:631.
