Got chocolate milk? As US schools consider a ban, an old, sketchy study holds sway

Research from a now discredited scholar continues to stoke the belief that the sugary drink is better than no milk at all

This spring, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to weigh in on one of the most heated arguments in school nutrition: whether chocolate milk belongs in the cafeteria.

The USDA is eyeing a proposal to allow flavored milk only at high schools starting in the 2025-2026 school year; children in grades K-8 would have access to fat-free or low-fat unflavored milk. The agency reviews national dietary guidelines every five years, and the milk question has generated hundreds of comments from parents concerned about sugar consumption; nutritionists; school workers who believe any milk is better than none; and the dairy industry, which has stoked that belief.