More Americans - And Dallas ISD Students - Are Drinking Milk Off A Shelf

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Several weeks ago, Dallas ISD launched an experiment in its cafeterias.

At nine school campuses, it replaced the usual milk it serves with a shelf stable variety that's able to sit unrefrigerated for months without going bad.

Though the idea may seem unappetizing to some, aseptic or ultra-pasteurized milk is how most people in countries including Spain, France, and Germany drink their milk.

"It's literally the same milk. It's just packaged a little bit differently," explained Matt Herrick, a spokesperson for the International Dairy Foods Association. "The milk is heated to a higher temperature to kill certain bacteria so that it can be shelf stable."

The ability to ship and store milk without a need for refrigeration creates enormous logistical advantages.

Dallas ISD's executive director of Food and Child Nutrition Services, Michael Rosenberger, said the limited shelf life of standard milk is a problem.

"We run into challenges, like after the two week holiday," he said, referencing the district's winter break. "No fresh milk can last over that two week period."

Shelf-stable milk doesn't have that issue, and according to Rosenberger, it has the same taste, appearance, and nutrition as the milk most Americans have at home.

Many young children are already accustomed to it, as well, because of the popularity of the shelf-stable milk brand Horizon Organic, which is packaged like juice boxes and sold at cafés, coffee shops, and restaurants in a variety of flavors.

"The initial response that we're getting from students – they love it, it tastes great," said Rosenberger.

Ultra-pasteurized milk is more expensive upfront, but the district is studying the impact on overall expenses.

A quart-sized box of the Parmalat brand on sale at Tom Thumb Wednesday, for example, cost $2.99.  The trade off, though, is that it isn't set to expire until December.

Since it doesn't require refrigeration until it's opened, it's can be ordered in larger quantities, stored more efficiently, and it's less likely to go to waste.

"There's potential that the entire electricity bill can go down and that future kitchens that we build may not need so much expensive refrigeration room," said Rosenberger.

Shelf stable milk has been growing in popularity among Americans, overall , in part because of supply issues caused by the pandemic.

"Grocery stores were running out of milk for those first few weeks," said Herrick.  "So more people turned to buying aseptic milk at the beginning of the pandemic and experimenting with it, and some of them have stuck with it."

Some school districts, hospitals, and other bulk buyers have found it more practical.

"The quality is very good and packaging is better," wrote Gary Huddleston, a grocery industry consultant with the Texas Retailers Association.

Perceptions, he says, are changing, too.

"I know this sounds crazy, but many customers have seen Starbucks using shelf stable products and feel they are equal to fresh (in the dairy)," he wrote.

A Dallas ISD spokesperson, Nina Lakiani, says the shift to shelf-stable milk could also be "a game-changer" for students and families who are food insecure.

During long breaks, the district provides a week's worth of food for children to take home.

"When students and their parents pick up these meals, the milk doesn't need to be refrigerated and so that gives them a little more time for people to take their meals wherever they're going," said Rosenberger. "The benefits are absolutely amazing."