Dairymom's Fueling Station

While your schedule may be increasing with outdoor activities and spring sports practices, our spring schedule on the dairy farm is totally out of control as we harvest spring crops,prepare to plant crops and have a lot of new baby calves to care for. During this hectic time, my kitchen seems to become a fueling station with a revolving door. Keeping plenty of milk,cheese and yogurt available is my number one fuel station priority because it provides essential nutrients that we all need and it is my family's favorite grab and go fuel-up food.

Essential nutrients are defined as "dietary substances required for healthy body functioning that must be received from food because the human body doesn't manufacture them in sufficient quantities to meet daily needs." Milk and other dairy foods provide nine of these essential nutrients. Dairy's powerful nutrition package contains:

1. Calcium: Helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth.
2. Potassium: Helps to regulate the body's fluid balance and maintain normal blood pressure. It's also needed for muscle activity.
3. Phosphorus: Helps strengthen bones and generate energy in the body's cells.
4. Protein: The protein in milk,yogurt and cheese builds and repairs muscle tissue, and serves as a source of energy and satiety.
5. Vitamin D: Promotes the absorption of calcium and enhances bone strength. it is one of the nutrients Americans lack most.
6. Vitamin A: Helps maintain normal vision and skin. It is also important for bone growth.
7. Vitamin B-12: Helps maintain healthy red blood cells and nerve cells.
8. Riboflavin: Helps convert food into energy the body can use. Also known as vitamin B2, it's important for normal eyesight and healthy skin.
9. Niacin: Helps bodies digest carbohydrates and fatty acids.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend increasing intakes of low-fat or fat-free milk  and milk products in the following amounts:

• 2 cups for children 2 to 3 years
• 2.5 cups for children 4 to 8 years
• 3 cups for those 9 years and older

You can find more information about dairy nutrition for fueling up at http://www.midwestdairy.com or http://www.dairymakessense.com.