ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 26, 1997 TAG: 9703260009
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO STEPHANIE
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES THE ROANOKE TIMES
Cold milk and Girl Scout cookies are almost always well-received.
However, milk consumption - including among the young - has for years been declining, causing many experts to speculate that to attract youngsters, milk needs a makeover - inside and out.
The trick facing the milk industry is to keep kids in the milk habit into their late teens.
Toward that end, Westover Dairy in Lynchburg recently released chocolate-flavored Madam Moo, orange-flavored Captain Moo and vanilla-flavored Moovy Star, all named and taste-tested by students of T.C. Miller Elementary School in that city.
The products are illustrated with cartoon cows sporting hats, jewelry and sunglasses.
"We want to increase milk consumption and make the act of drinking milk more fun," Westover sales manager Philip Prendergast explained.
Nutritionists, however, are wary of these and other new milk products. Keith-Thomas Ayoob, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association, said that while occasional use is fine, the new products contain extra sugar and calories that kids don't need. Eight ounces of Madam Moo contain 190 calories. The other two Westover products contain 180 calories per one-half pint serving. An 8-ounce glass of 1 percent milk has 110 calories, and the same amount of vitamins and minerals.
``For most children, getting enough calories is not an issue,'' said Ayoob. ``These drinks have extra calories that many children do not need, especially children who have problems with their weight.''
Prendergast said he agreed with Ayoob's statement to some extent. "But I think when you consider milk's wholesomeness and nutrition, a few extra calories may not be that bad a sacrifice," he said.
Students taste-testing the Westover milks liked all three flavors, but favored Captain Moo, which they likened to an orange creamsicle.
The Westover products are available in most supermarkets and several convenience stores. To encourage sampling, a three for $1 promotion is under way.
To attract a few milk and cookie lovers of your own, pair one of the new flavored varieties, or even a glass of plain milk, with some cookies made from the accompanying recipe, which dates back to about 1922. It, and "From Semaphore to the World Wide Web: 85 Years of Girl Scouting," an exhibit at the Roanoke Valley History Museum through April 13, help to mark the Girl Scouts' 85th anniversary, which was officially celebrated on March 12.
Newsday writer Wendy Lin contributed information to this story.|
Recipes for: ORIGINAL HOMEBAKED GIRL SCOUT COOKIES
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB