National Chocolate Milk Day – September 27, 2022, history significance why we celebrate
National Chocolate Milk Day is celebrated on September 27, and our childhood senses are tingling. While this beverage can be spotted in any lunchroom in the United States, it actually has Jamaican origins.
That’s right — Jamaica gave us ginger beer AND chocolate milk. This chocolatey goodness can be traced back to the 1400s, and its popularity continues to increase. In fact, the global chocolate milk market is forecasted to grow at a rate of 3.6% between 2019 and 2024.
History of National Chocolate Milk Day
Of course, the history of chocolate milk is inextricably tied to the discovery of chocolate. It is believed that hot beverages made from chocolate have been enjoyed for around 4000 years. The Olmec people in ancient Mesoamerica (present day Mexico) used drinking chocolate for medical purposes and people have also used it for religious purposes over history.
While it is likely that someone thought to mix chocolate with milk earlier in history, it’s not recorded until the late 1600s. This record indicates that an Irish botanist who was living in Jamaica at the time was the person who first made chocolate milk.
The story goes that when the Jamaicans first gave Hans Sloane the drink, he was unimpressed with its flavor. So instead of making it with water, he made it with milk, which made the taste more tolerable. After taking the mixture of chocolate milk back to Europe, it was then sold as a medicinal substance by apothecaries for some time.
When the Hershey’s company began producing chocolate syrup in the early 1920s, and then made it commercially available to the public, it made drinking chocolate milk an option at restaurants and households.
Chocolate milk became even easier to make when the Nestle company introduced Nesquik chocolate milk powder in the US in the late 1940s and later in Europe in the 1950s. Now, it comes pre-made by many dairy companies as well as from brands that offer non-dairy, plant-based options for those who love chocolate milk.
National Chocolate Milk Day is just the right time to enjoy and appreciate the little things in life, including the delicious simplicity of a glass of chocolate milk.
National Chocolate Milk Day Timeline
Late 1600s
Chocolate Milk is invented
Hans Sloane, an Irish Botanist, is given cocoa to drink in Jamaica but he chooses to make it with milk instead.
1700s
Chocolate Milk is released as medicine
When Sloane returns to Ireland, he sells the mixture of cocoa and milk as medicinal.
Early 1900s
Cadbury creates drinking chocolate
The brothers behind the Cadbury company market drinking chocolate in a tin.
1926
Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup is invented
Hershey’s syrup is first produced for commercial use.
1948
Chocolate Milk Powder is created
Nesquik makes it easy to drink chocolate milk at home with chocolate powder.
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5 FACTS ABOUT CHOCOLATE THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
It was used as a currency
Early Mesoamericans considered cacao beans to be so valuable that they used them as currency.
It requires patience
Farmers must wait 4 to 5 years for a cacao tree to produce its first beans.
The Swiss are obsessed with it
Switzerland created chocolate so, naturally, they lead the world in chocolate consumption with 22.36 lbs per person.
The English revolutionized it
In 1847, the England-based Fry’s company made the very first chocolate bar.
It’s kind of a vegetable
The cacao bean grows on the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), an evergreen from the family Malvaceae (other members of the family include okra and cotton).
How to Celebrate National Chocolate Milk Day
A delightfully simple day, National Chocolate Milk Day is meant to honor and revere everything about this tasty and satisfying beverage. Consider implementing some of these ways to enjoy National Chocolate Milk Day:
Drink a Glass of Chocolate Milk
Of course, the best way to celebrate this day is to pour a tall glass of chocolate milk and drink it right up! Have it on its own or with a stack of cookies. While drinking it, don’t forget to make a delightful milk mustache and take a picture or a selfie. It’s a fun way to raise awareness for and promote the day on social media!
Learn About the Health Benefits of Chocolate Milk
When compared to other sweet drinks, like sodas, chocolate milk stands up with more nutritional value that those drinks that are filled with empty calories. It still has quite a bit in the way of carbs and fat, but these can be minimized by drinking a low-fat, less sweet version.
- Here are some of the health benefits that can be found in a glass of chocolate milk:
- ProteinMany athletes like to drink chocolate milk as a source of protein for muscle repair and acting as building blocks. Milk is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.
- Skeletal HealthCalcium is good for the bones and teeth, and milk contains this essential nutrient. And when milk is fortified with Vitamin D, which many brands of milk in the US are, it’s even more effective for the body to take advantage of the health benefits.
- Workout RecoveryMany athletes find that drinking chocolate milk after a workout helps to restore sugars, fluids and electrolytes that are lost during exercise.
Hold a Chocolate Milk Taste Test
Not sure which chocolate milk is the best? Naturally, National Chocolate Milk Day is a great time to hold a blind taste test to determine which version is the best. Several companies make chocolate milk out, so try out something from a local dairy or choose one of these brands:
- Trader Joe’s Chocolate Milk. Sold in half gallon cardboard cartons, this chocolate milk is smooth and consistent in its taste, and it is very affordable. Plus, it is made with fair trade cocoa so everyone can feel good about drinking it!
- Horizon Organic High Protein Chocolate Milk. This one is delicious and it also has a reduced fat option, making it even healthier.
- Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink. Okay, so it’s not technically chocolate milk at all because it isn’t made from dairy. But for folks who have dairy allergies or sensitivities, this can be really good news because it tastes great. Pro tip: Yoo-hoo is best when it is served very cold!
- Fairlife Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk. With extra protein, this one is also ultra-filtered, offering a thick and silky smooth taste in the mouth. In addition, it has about half of the sugar, more protein and more calcium than regular chocolate milk.
