Making the perfect chocolate milk

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February 2, 2018

Instead of all-natural ingredients, the chocolate milk that kids (...and adults) know today is full of refined and artificial ingredients and additives. The chocolate milk that you find in grocery stores typically consists of partly skimmed milk, sugar (or glucose or fructose), cocoa, artificial color, salt, carrageenan, artificial flavor, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D3. Let’s take a look at why manufacturers choose these ingredients and why, when you are using high quality ingredients and purchasing directly from a farm, they aren’t needed.

Chocolate milk contains about 25 grams of sugar per cup. About 12 grams comes from the naturally occurring lactose sugar in milk. The other 13 grams, or just more than 3 teaspoons, is added. In commercial chocolate milks, the sugar is refined (think corn syrup, glucose, or fructose), void of any nutritional value. For an all-natural chocolate milk, maple syrup or honey can be used. They contain beneficial nutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. I mean, it’s still sugar, which you probably get plenty of in your diet, but it’s a healthy alternative to refined sugars.

Carrageenan is used as a thickening agent, giving it a smoothie-like consistency, and is found in basically all commercial chocolate milk. This addition to chocolate milk is made to bulk up the watery consistency of skimmed milk (milk with fat removed). In my opinion, this ingredient is useless. We should be celebrating and showcasing the quality of ingredients, not hiding substandard ones with artificial masks.

Vitamin A is added back to 1%, 2% or skim milk, because those naturally-occurring vitamins are lost when the fat is removed. Vitamin A helps maintain the immune system, vision, and reproduction. If you are using a full-fat, nutrient-dense milk like ours, you do not have to worry about this. Our full fat milk has plenty of naturally-occurring Vitamin A. Vitamin D3 is added to milk to avoid deficiency. A nutrient-dense milk like ours contains some Vitamin D, but you may also choose to spend time in the sun or take a high-quality Vitamin D supplement to combat this deficiency.

Artificial color and flavor are added to standardize a product, giving it the exact taste and appearance every time. When you buy direct from a small farm producing all-natural products, this is simply not the case. The flavor, color, and consistency of milk naturally varies throughout the year based on the animals’ diet and lifestyle. And, these changes are to be celebrated, not hidden. For example, in the spring and summer, the milk has a yellowish color, meaning that it’s eating fresh grass.

Chocolate milk can be made with fresh milk but is also a great use for slightly soured milk, that may be too tart to drink straight (especially for kids). The farmer makes his chocolate milk by making chocolate syrup from scratch and mixing it with milk. He puts 2 cups water, 1 heaping cup of cocoa powder, and 1⁄2 tsp sea salt in a pot and heats and stirs until smooth. Then, he mixes in 4.5 cups of maple syrup. Voila! Chocolate syrup! To make chocolate milk, the ratio is 1 cup of syrup to 1 gallon of milk.

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Eggnog's Medieval Magic

Well now, friends, let me tell you about eggnog - it's no yolk, this drink has been around forever! While history scholars are still whisking through different stories, most agree it sprouted from a Medieval drink called posset. Posset was hot milk curdled with wine or beer, served in a two-handled pot when folks caught the sniffles. Yup, that's right, I said sniffles. The warmth would settle your bones, the milk kept your strength up better than a day of plowing, and the alcohol and spices worked like nature's own medicine chest. Posset recipes were as varied as quilting patterns, every homestead had their own way to make it, and from this patchwork of kitchen wisdom grew a whole crop of milk based treasures, including... eggnog itself. Eggnog is a rich, chilled, sweet dairy drink that'll make you smile like you just finished morning milking. It's made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and spices, simple as that! Most folks only raise a glass during a short spell around Christmas. It was those fancy British folks in the 1700s who turned eggnog into a holiday tradition. They'd add expensive spirits and spices to milk to preserve it through winter (yep, aged eggnog, just like preserving pickles in the cellar). Eventually, eggnog crossed the ocean to the Thirteen Colonies. As times changed and food became easier to come by, common folk adopted it as a cherished holiday drink. Today, food is everywhere you look, but finding the right kind is harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Store-bought eggnog is stacked in every store, but I won't hitch my wagon to it. Store-bought eggnog is cooked up in factories to taste good and stay the same every time. But it's packed with additives, loaded with more sugar than a honey wagon, and has less than 2% egg yolks. Might as well call it milknog! And don't get me started on all that pasteurization business. If you've got the time, eggnog is easier than feeding chickens. Here's what you need: 4 egg yolks (fresh from the henhouse) ⅓ cup maple syrup (the real stuff, tapped honest) 2 cups raw milk (straight from Bessie, if you're blessed) 1 cup raw cream 1 tsp nutmeg (or whatever spices suit your fancy) 3 oz bourbon or rum (if you're of a mind to) You can mix these ingredients raw (like we do on the farm) or you can warm it up. Your barn, your rules. For a fuller eggnog, beat those yolks until they lighten like sunrise. Then fold in the rest. For a frothy eggnog that'll make you grin like a cat in the creamery, beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form, then stir them into your finished batch. I highly recommend doing this whether you bought it from a farm stand or made it yourself. It's wonderful. So please, enjoy your eggnog this winter season. When you raise your glass, think on what you're celebrating. Toast to home remedies, good health, the wisdom of those who came before us, and honest food that comes from the land.

From Grass To Glow: Tallow Skin Care

Tallow might sound old-school, but this grass-fed goodness is pure skin food. Packed with vitamins A, D, E & K plus CLA, it mimics your skin’s natural fats for maximum absorption. The result? Happy, nourished, glowing skin, without the chemicals

What’s really in a grocery store turkey?

It’s that time of year again—the turkey takes center stage. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a Sunday family dinner, a golden-brown bird is often the star of the show. But if you’re grabbing a conventional turkey from the grocery store, you might be wondering: what’s actually in it besides turkey? Why not add weird stuff to our holiday dinner? Many conventional turkeys are “enhanced” before they even make it to the freezer aisle. That usually means they’ve been injected with a solution of water, salt, and sometimes sugar or broth. It’s meant to keep the meat "moist and flavorful", but it also means your turkey may contain up to 15% of stuff that isn’t turkey. Always check the fine print on the label—you might be paying turkey prices for salty water. I sure hope you like your turkey with a side of salt! Those injections can leave a grocery store turkey surprisingly high in sodium. And when you see “natural flavorings” or “seasonings” on the label, it isn’t always just herbs and spices—it can also mean more hidden salt and flavor enhancers. So what exactly are these “boosters”? Think modified food starch for texture, “natural flavorings,” caramel coloring, and sometimes even MSG for that extra hit of savory flavor.Here’s the kicker: take a look at this turkey below—it’s sold by a major brand and proudly labeled ALL NATURAL. But read closely, and you’ll see it actually contains about 4% “other ingredients” that aren’t clearly listed. Makes you wonder, right? Turns out the real stuffing happens long before Thanksgiving—it’s all corn, soy, and unnatural junk. Conventional turkeys are typically raised on large farms where antibiotics may be used to prevent illness in crowded conditions. The USDA regulates withdrawal periods before processing (meaning the birds shouldn’t have antibiotics in their system at slaughter). So does that mean the birds really aren't antibiotic free after all? How confusing for the consumer! As for what the conventional turkeys are fed: Grains:Corn, wheat, and barley aren’t just wholesome-sounding grains—they’re the cheapest way to pack calories into a turkey, fueling rapid growth. Efficiency, not nutrition, is the goal here.Seed Oils:Soy, canola, and flaxseed are tossed in, not out of kindness, but to boost fat content and keep growth on track. Soy especially dominates, since it’s cheap and plentiful—most of it genetically modified. So these turkeys are definitely not low PUFA.Protein sources:Turkeys grow fast, and that means they need protein—lots of it. Beyond soy, feed mills mix in other plant-based proteins to supercharge growth in young poults. The formula isn’t about balance or natural diets; it’s about pushing birds to market weight as quickly as possible. Seed oils, sugar and more, OH MY! Certain “self-basting” turkeys may also contain a touch of sugar or dextrose, oils, or even phosphates to help retain moisture during roasting. My gosh this list keeps going on and on... And the star of the show... Conventional turkeys are genetically bred to grow quickly and large, especially in the breast area—because that’s what most shoppers want. It’s something Big Ag has down to a science: decades of selective breeding for size and speed at the expense of health and flavor. The result? A bird designed for profit margins, not taste. Compared to wild or heritage turkeys, today’s supermarket turkeys are bland, bloated, and bred to fit industry demand, not the dinner table. These turkeys don’t look much like wild turkeys anymore. So what's in a Miller's turkey that makes them so darn special? ✔ Pasture Raised✔ Corn & Soy Free✔ Traditional "White" Breed - Has nice sized breasts✔ Washed in Water and Only Water✔ Nothing Added - No artificial flavors, no colors, no synthetic ingredients, no preservatives✔ Vaccine, Chemical, Antibiotic, Drug, and GMO FreeWondering what's in our turkey feed? Here you go! Soy & Corn Free Turkey Feed Shop our Pastured Turkey (P.S. whole turkeys are coming soon!) The next time you are in the grocery store and see those giant turkey breasts wrapped in plastic, remember: that bird didn’t get that way by accident. It got that way by design.

Making the perfect chocolate milk

More from the blog

Eggnog's Medieval Magic

From Grass To Glow: Tallow Skin Care

What’s really in a grocery store turkey?

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