It’s June, and that means it’s National Dairy Month! Nutrient-rich dairy delivers all kinds of things our bodies need to grow and thrive: protein, Vitamin A, calcium, and potassium, to name just a few. When you include dairy products in your diet you reap many health benefits, from the consumption of nine essential nutrients to weight management, protection against certain cancers and osteoporosis, and a reduction in your risk for high blood pressure.
To help you celebrate National Dairy Month, the staff at Beyond Breakfast has compiled some of our favorite dairy resources for our readers. Are you looking for new ways to creatively menu dairy for school lunch or school breakfast? Are you looking for new marketing materials to help you increase dairy’s appeal with your customers? We have some of the best, most up-to-date online dairy resources to share with you today.
National Dairy Council
Our first stop during National Dairy Month is—naturally—the National Dairy Council. In addition to celebrating National Dairy Month, NDC is celebrating another huge milestone—100 years of dairy advocacy and education! Congratulations to everyone at the Council on this remarkable achievement.
NDC’s website is a treasure trove of dairy information, from educational materials to research, not to mention dairy resources for school nutrition professionals.
USDA
After you’ve perused the National Dairy Council website, check out National Dairy Month at USDA. Additional information on dairy can be found at USDA commodities, where links will direct you to programs and services, market news, standards, and more.
DairyGood.org
We love to check in at DairyGood.org on a regular basis for information on dairy and dairy farming by dairy farmers. From child development to recipes and food tips, to dispelling myths about dairy, the folks at DairyGood.org run one of our very favorite dairy-centric websites.
Dairy MAX
This non-profit dairy council represents farm families in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and southwest Kansas, but their website is amazing no matter where you live! (We also love their social media feeds.) The site is divided into three main sections of information: School Educators, Dairy Farmers, and Health Professionals. Dairy MAX for school educators has a wonderful array of free tools and resources, plus information on Fuel Up to Play 60 and Dairy Dollars for Schools, both of which offer funding opportunities.
International Dairy Foods Association
If you’re seeking a deeper understanding of the dairy industry, including policy and economic issues affecting farmers and consumers, environment and sustainability, food safety, and labeling standards, you’ll want to bookmark the International Dairy Foods Association website.