Flavored milk facts for kids
Flavored milk is a sweet and tasty drink made from milk. It usually has sugar, special flavorings, and sometimes food coloring added to it. You can find flavored milk sold in different ways. Some types need to be kept cold in the fridge, while others are treated with a special process called UHT so they can stay on shelves without refrigeration until you open them. You can also make flavored milk at home or in restaurants by simply mixing flavorings into regular milk.
In some places, like New England in the United States, milk mixed with syrups (like chocolate or strawberry) in a special machine is often called a "milkshake." But in many other parts of the country, a milkshake always includes ice cream or other thick ingredients to make it very thick.
Flavored Milk Around the World
Flavored milk is enjoyed by people all over the globe!
Asia and Europe
In the Indian subcontinent, spiced milk, also known as masala milk, is a very popular drink. It's often bottled and sold ready to drink. In the United Kingdom, many companies sell packaged flavored milk to people who buy drinks on the go.
Australia's Love for Flavored Milk
Australia actually drinks more flavored milk per person than any other country in the world! In 2004, Australians drank about 9.5 liters (or 2.5 gallons) of flavored milk per person.
Flavored milk is especially popular in two Australian states: South Australia and Western Australia.
- In 2013, an article reported that Western Australia was like the "capital" of flavored milk in Australia. It was a huge business, worth about A$220 million. People there drank about 19 liters (or 5 gallons) per person, and you could find over 40 different kinds of iced coffee alone!
- Similarly, in 2006, it was reported that South Australia drank about 45,000,000 liters (or 11,887,740 gallons) of flavored milk each year. A single brand, Farmers Union Iced Coffee, sold 82% of all the flavored milk there. In fact, in South Australia, people buy more flavored milk than they do cola drinks!
