Tips & Tools

Despite the current economic climate, dairy products continue to make $ense when it comes to nutritional and economic value.

According to a recent poll*, more than half of consumers say price, not nutrition, is the most important factor when grocery shopping in today's economic environment. The good news is consumers don't have to compromise nutrition in these tough times because they can bank on the basics like dairy to maintain a nutritious and balanced diet.

Get smart about what you buy so you can stretch your dollar and not compromise on nutrition.

• Dairy products provide four of the seven nutrients that Americans miss the most (calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamin A).
• Milk delivers nine essential nutrients while sodas only contain empty calories.
• U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend at least three servings of dairy each day.

Comparison Charts

Nutritional and economic value of dairy choices versus other leading beverages and snacks.

Additional Resources

• Helpful Links — a resource of sites that include dairy recipes, nutrition education and economic news
• Ask an Expert — a Midwest Dairy Association registered dietitian is just a click away to answering your questions
• Nutrition Value Tips — cost-saving tips of how to maximize your nutrition and your dollar
• Value FAQs — answers to many of your nutrition questions
• Recipes — 16 budget-friendly, nutrient rich recipes for every time of the day

*Omnibus telephone survey conducted April 16–19, 2009, by Opinion Research Corporation's CARAVAN Omnibus Survey (ORC) to gather information about consumers' grocery purchasing behavior during the global economic recession. Included 1,002 adults, 18 years of age and older, throughout the continental U.S.

Bessie's Fast Snacks

Milk

• Sweet Milk Steamer
  Microwave a cup of low-fat milk and stir in a drizzle of honey.
• Choco-Raspberry Chug
  Blend a cup of low-fat milk with some frozen raspberries and a teaspoon of chocolate syrup.
• Strawberry Sicles
  Mix low-fat strawberry milk with fresh strawberry slices and freeze in a popsicle container.
• A Sip of Spice
  Heat a cup of low-fat milk and mix with some Chai tea.
• Graham Dunk
  Dip a few graham crackers in a cold glass of low-fat milk.

Cheese

• Salsa Roll Up
  Roll a stick of string cheese into a whole-wheat tortilla and dip in salsa.
• Lettuce Wraps
  Spread Dijon mustard inside a lettuce leaf. Layer with a slice of turkey and Swiss cheese then roll.
• Cheese Kabob
  Alternate small slices of apples and Cheddar cheese squares on wooden skewers.
• Cherry Tomato Crunchers
  Top whole-wheat crackers with Mozzarella cheese then sliced cherry tomatoes.
• Zesty Tostada
  Top a tostada with fat-free refried beans. Sprinkle on shredded pepper jack cheese and melt in microwave.

Yogurt

• Parfait Pleaser
  Mix granola and fresh fruit with your favorite flavor of low-fat yogurt.
• Cucumber Combo
  Mix diced cucumber with 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt, mint and a pinch of salt. Spread on pita wedges.
• Go Nuts
  Top low-fat vanilla yogurt with a few crushed pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Honey Fruit Dip
  Mix fat-free yogurt with a dollop of honey for a sweet fruit dip.
• Simple Shortcake
  Dunk cubes of angel food cake in strawberry yogurt for a heavenly treat.

Want even more ideas for serving up calcium? Check out these fun and family-friendly nutrition tips.