Gotta have milk

I don’t know if this blog post is about milk, or first grade memories. You will have to decide for yourself, I reckon, and then comment accordingly!

First, about milk. I love milk. It is my favorite drink in the whole world. I drink it at breakfast, at lunch, at dinner and sometimes I even have a glass with a snack.

I have not always had this close relationship with milk. Growing up, I never drank it. We rarely ever had it in our house. My dad, the grocery shopper, did not drink milk. So, he bought canned evaporated milk for mom to add to her coffee or to reconstitute for a recipe. 

When I was a senior in high school, Brian remembers coming to the house one morning to see me before school and was shocked and a bit creeped out that I had toast and eggs with a tall glass of Pepsi for breakfast!

At some point after we were married and I was pregnant, Brian convinced me that a glass of milk every once in a while would be “good for me and the baby.” And, so, I began my love affair with milk.

So, now to my first-grade memory. I bought the school cafeteria lunch everyday. Back then, students didn’t get to chose what to get on their trays, they simply got whatever was served that day – a mystery meat, vegetable, fruit and milk. The milk came automatically. But, I never drank my milk because I didn’t drink milk. I didn’t like milk. I never even opened the carton. Sometimes I traded it or just gave it to someone else to drink, but most days, it got thrown away.

Now, after lunch, we got to go outside to play. Ergo, the quicker we finished lunch, the sooner we played.

One day, my first grade teacher, Mrs. Biddleman, who sat at our lunch table with her class, usually across from me so she could keep an eye on me, decided that I should drink my milk. “Think of all those poor starving kids in China,” she said.

“I don’t like milk,” I said. “It makes me sick.” “The kids in China can have it.”(Well, I can’t remember our exact words, but it went something like that)

I’m sure I said something sarcastic that pissed her off, because she informed me that I could not go out to recess until I drank my milk. Now, somewhere in my six year old logic, this was wrong. How could she insist that I drink something that I didn’t want, didn’t like and had bought and paid for with my own (well, with my parents’) money? So, we sat. And, sat. And all the other kids in first through third grades ate their lunches and went outside to play. And, finally recess was over and everyone went back to class. It was then that I got to throw my milk in the trash and go back to class. Triumph! Or so I thought, as the next day, Mrs. Biddleman and I sat alone in the cafeteria for an entire recess once again, while all the good boys and girls got to go outside. But, I had my principles, dammit! When she did it to me for the third day, I began to worry. I worried mostly that I’d drink my milk and barf. Boy, that would sure show her!  But, by the following week, Mrs. Biddleman had tired of this little exercise in six year-old mind control and gave up. I am proud to say that I never caved.  

To this day, I am very picky about my milk and there are certain brands I refuse to drink. All milk is not the same! My favorite milk is Publix store brand. I like the ½ percent milk best, but if I can’t get that, I will drink 1 percent or 2 percent, too. I’m the one at the grocery store going through all the milk on the shelf to get the freshest one, too. Brian is trained to do the same.

I guess I’m a milkaholic. That’s the first step, isn’t it?

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32 thoughts on “Gotta have milk

  1. Well I have to say that I also didn’t like milk or butter because of sister peep Bonnie. If she didn’t like it neither did I. I never drank milk until Gary’s family had it at meal time and then I learned I could drink it without throwing up like I’d been taught by big sister. I now have an occasional glass if it’s fresh.

    Also, Cindy girl I remember your McDonald’s meal being regurged in bed on me, Yuk.

    • Gosh, Pam, I can never get past that vomiting incident! I thought maybe that one was a different time!

      Weren’t you the one that got sick after eating a tootsie roll and now can’t eat them?

      • I did get sick on tootsie rolls and did not eat them for the longest time. Now, however I can eat one but it is definately not one of my favorites. I remember one day when I was having a hunger attack at work (cause sometimes you’re too busy to eat, drink, or use the restroom) I broke down and ate one and actually enjoyed it. Amazing how something you don’t really like can taste good when you’re hungry.

        The vomiting incident has been imprinted in my memory bank and I will always remember it. At least I hope so because I have forgotten so many things lately and know that I have some oldtimers moments.

  2. no hormones. and the cows are raised on grass like they should be. it tastes much better. As far as the price. yep costs more. But I just drink less of it. My cholesterol levels thank me. it taste really good too. umm cleaner. yep you can really taste it. Love a hot cup at night with Ovaltine. gotta have Ovaltine.

  3. I love the graphic! For some reason my mom only drank milk in the winter when I was growing up, which was fine: more milk for me! I don’t drink it very much now because I am eating low-carb, but when I am craving a smidge with my Dreamfield’s spaghetti I mix half a glass of cold organic milk (I prefer 1% but hubby buys 2%), half a glass bottled water, and a few ice cubes. The milk also must be shaken in the carton before pouring for perfect frothiness! Who knew that people could be so picky about their milk?

  4. OMG – you are so funny. Like sister Linda, I don’t drink milk. Absolutely hate it. In 2nd grade my friend didn’t like milk or butter so, therefore, I didn’t like it either. I don’t even drink chocolate milk. That’s probably why my bones are so weak. Like you Cindy, I would throw my milk away every day. So wasteful. Mrs. Biddleman – (I do remember her) never saw me tossing milk away on a daily basis.

    I don’t drink tea, coffee, water, juice, what’s left, Diet Mountain Dew. That’s what I live on.

    PS – you made my day with your photo. Only Cindy!!!!! lol Love you sister.

  5. I must be the only person in the US that does not drink milk. Years ago I was on a diet and decided that milk was just too loaded with calories and I quit drinking it. I’ve never got back to it. Shani, on the other hand, goes through a gallon in about a day or so. She can’t believe I only buy 1/2 quart milk (for cooking)….and it goes bad before I use all of it.

    Way back when I was in sixth grade I was “forced” to eat sauerkraut at school. I did get sick!! To this day I only make sauerkraut on New Years Day for “luck” and only eat about a fork full. And, it’s NEVER brought me luck!

  6. I live for milk, wasn’t going to have any before bed tonight but now you got me craving. So off I go to get my Costco 2% fix! It will taste great with my Dorito’s Cheeseburger favored chips.

  7. I have a very bad day if I can’t at least have milk with breakfast, either in my cereal or in chocolate milk form with my eggs or oatmeal. A glass of juice just will not cut it!

  8. What a load of……..MILK! 😉

    Seriously, I think you should get paid by the Milk Marketing Board, or whatever their equivalent is over here.

    I’m also a milk-lover, by the way. And despite the brainwashing attempts, I’m convinced that full-fat is better for us. I don’t think full-fat milk is responsible for the level of obesity in the US (or the UK for that matter), that’s for sure!

    • I agree! It is not milk that has made us (well, not you or me, lol) obese! I must say, though, that I have been drinking reduced fat milk for so long that if I have a glass of whole milk, it is too rich and gives me a tummy ache!

  9. Milk is great but having gone organic last year (still working on becoming 100% this year) I have to say that it (organic) is DELICIOUS ! And I feel different (bad) after drinking the regular milk from the store now. Milk has been added to our family’s good eats list. We only buy the best of it. We enjoy every drop of it even more…

      • Mainly the feed. On the side of MY carton of organic milk (that’s all I drink too) it says “The cows graze on pasture during the growing season and eat only 100% organic feed, grown without toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. No antibiotics or articificial growth hormones are allowed, and the focus is on good nutricion and minimal stress.”

        • I’ve been thinking about going organic with my milk as well, but it’s $3 more per gallon that non-organic! I think I’ll have to win the lotto before I give it a go!

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