Flav-R-Straws facts for kids

Flav-R-Straws were a special type of drinking straw that had flavor inside them. They were made to make drinking milk more fun and tasty for kids. Imagine a straw that could turn plain milk into chocolate or strawberry milk just by sipping through it!

Flav-R-Straws first came out in the United States in 1956. A company called Flav-R-Straws Inc. created them. They quickly became very popular. People saw advertisements for them everywhere, even in famous magazines like LIFE. An ad for Flav-R-Straws even showed up briefly in the 1956 movie Beyond a Reasonable Doubt.

Why Flav-R-Straws Disappeared

Flav-R-Straws were taken off the market in 1961. The main reason was their cost. They were more expensive to make and sell compared to other ways to flavor milk. Products like Nestlé Quik, Bosco Chocolate Syrup, and Hershey's Chocolate Syrup were much cheaper. These other products were powders or syrups that you could just stir into milk. Because of the higher price, Flav-R-Straws couldn't compete, and so they stopped being sold.

Modern Flavored Straws

Even though the original Flav-R-Straws disappeared, the idea was too good to forget! In recent years, new versions of flavored straws have come back. These modern straws work in a similar way. They often have tiny flavored beads or pellets inside a plastic straw. As you drink milk through them, the flavor mixes with the milk. Examples of these newer flavored straws include Sipahhs and Milk Magic Straws. They continue the fun idea of making milk more exciting for kids.