The world has changed dramatically over the past decade and the pace of change only continues to accelerate with the advances in technology and globalization.
Because of their access to information and online influences, kids today also have a different relationship with food than any other generation. When it comes to what they consume, they are seeking options they can feel good about, and they want to understand more about how these products are produced.
Fortunately, National Dairy Council (NDC) and our state and regional network have had strong relationships with school communities nationwide for decades, and that is no small task considering as of 2020, there were 130,930 K-12 schools in the U.S., an average of 2,618 per state. This foundation remains the cornerstone of the checkoff’s youth strategy as we modernize the ways we reach kids to meet the changing world.
The checkoff is prioritizing opportunities within and outside of schools and is focused on efforts that can deliver long-term impacts with this generation. Efforts within the school walls include enhancing cafeterias to make them a destination as today’s students aren’t consuming milk like previous generations. Checkoff teams locally and nationally are leading innovations such as smoothies made with milk and yogurt, hot chocolate programs, coffee bars (featuring lattes that are up to 80 percent milk) and breakfast carts that make food – including milk – easier for kids to access during their busy mornings.
We’re seeing positive results with cafeteria renovations thanks to the checkoff-founded GENYOUth, which also has provided nearly $40 million in non-checkoff grants and equipment to Fuel Up to Play 60 schools. And we’re currently testing shelf-stable milk options and dispensing systems that could bring a new and exciting way for kids to enjoy milk at schools.
In addition to our school work, your dairy checkoff engages kids through various social media channels, working with influencers and even gaming personalities, who are sharing the story of where dairy comes from, how it is made and the benefits that come from consuming it. The checkoff’s Undeniably Dairy campaign promotes these health benefits related to things important to this generation: immunity, calm, energy and digestive health, all of which can be supported by including milk and dairy in their diet.
Schools and educators also are harnessing technology in the classroom, a trend accelerated by the pandemic. Checkoff leveraged this opportunity to shorten the divide between students and agriculture, bringing virtual farm tours into the classroom and expanding online lesson plans for educators to connect dairy’s health and sustainability to curriculum standards.
In addition, some of our long-running foodservice partners such as Taco Bell and McDonald’s are helping us innovate with dairy to reach this younger consumer. For example, our checkoff food scientists at Taco Bell created two frozen beverages that use real dairy creamer and have been a hit with this rising generation.
While schools serve as the critical foundation to help students understand where food comes from and provides an opportunity for a positive dairy product experience, adding a diverse portfolio of strategies, including reaching this generation online with relevant messaging about dairy, rounds out the approach.
In the end, it is a surround-sound strategy to grow sales and demand to advance the checkoff’s goal of building life-long dairy consumers.
To learn more about your national dairy checkoff, visit www.USDairy.com or send a request to join our Facebook group. To reach us directly, send an email to TalkToTheCheckoff@dairy.org.
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