🥛 National MILK Day 2025 – Jan 11

🐄 National MILK Day ORIGIN & HISTORY

In the United States, if you want to get a jug of milk you go to your local supermarket. However, that was different in olden times. In the 1700s up until the time of industrialization, people would get their milk from their own cows. People then started to move into cities and urban areas. Because of the demographic shift, milk production and distribution became more unsanitary.

Having your own cow to get milk became a thing of the past. This brought about the introduction of the milkman. Many can still recall a typical sound in the morning was the clinking of glass bottles being dropped off on your doorstep. Different bottles and practices for getting milk were not the best.

Dr Henry Thatcher was appalled when he witnessed a filthy child’s doll fall into the bucket the milkman was doling out milk from. In 1878, he designed the first glass milk jar which initially only had a wooden stopper. Supposedly Alexander Campbell of the New York Dairy Company informed the New York State Senate that he was the first to make deliveries in Dr Thatcher’s sterilized bottles that same year.

The “Lester Milk Jar” wouldn’t get a redesign with its very own cap (a waxed paper disc) until 1884. Paper milk cartons coated with plastic didn’t come along until 1932 by Victor Farris. The first milk tanker trucks for transporting milk showed up in 1914.

British milk bottles were first produced by the Express Dairy Company in 1880. These had porcelain stoppers held on tight by a wire. They were later patented by Lewis Whiteman to have a glass stopper and were delivered none other by horse-drawn carts.

In 1895, commercial pasteurizing machines arrived in the US. But it wasn’t until much later that pasteurization for milk was made mandatory. Even very sick cows with tuberculosis were being milked and transmitting the deadly bacteria. Milk bottling was not very hygienic at the time and as a  result, many people got ill from drinking milk. There were even outbreaks of typhoid fever, scarlet fever, and diphtheria as a result of bad milk in the United States.

National MILK Day is largely observed in this country for the contribution of Louis Pasteur’s discovery of pasteurization and the method with which we bottle and distribute that white gold.

🧁 HOW to Celebrate & Observe National MILK Day?

Not sure how to LOVE the day? We’ve got a few interesting ideas to consider that may help get you started.

Here are some activities that you can do on National MILK Day!

💙 POUR yourself a Tall glass of MILK

Take a sip; place a straw inside the glass and blow some bubbles reimagining your childhood. Try not to get any bubbles up your nose! Whether it’s whole, skim, almond, oat, soy, cashew, coconut, goat, hemp, rice, pea, hazelnut, chocolate, or even strawberry, there’s a milk choice for everyone.

💙 COOK Recipes that call for MILK

Such as milk-based soups or a healthier macaroni and cheese perhaps made with veggies & pasta derived from whole grains, quinoa, or beans. Also, milk is a great substitute for half and half. It also works fine in quiches despite any naysayers out there!

💙 DIY your own Watering Can

Fashion a new watering pot from your used milk jugs by poking holes in the lid so water can flow. Heating up a needle ahead of time makes for an easier way to make the holes.

💙 Milk & Cookies MOVIE Night

Enjoy a classic movie night with a selection of your favorite cookies and a tall glass of milk. It’s a simple yet delightful way to celebrate! Classic.

💙 TRY out something Dairylicious

Dairy has a myriad of products. Odds are you haven’t tried them all. You might be familiar with aged hard cheeses or even soft ones like cottage cheese, feta, ricotta, or cream cheese. Even yogurt entails other products including Greek strained yogurt, Icelandic skyr, Australian “yoghurt” like Noosa, kefir, or even yogurt made from sheep/goat milk.

Don’t forget Airag, Mongolia’s national drink made from fermented horse milk. Turkey’s favorite summer chilled drink is called Ayran. Basically a watered-down yogurt mixture of milk, salt, and water. It’s very refreshing!

💙 RECYCLE by creating Indoor Planters

Make milk carton/jug indoor planters and decorate them. In fact, the half-gallon-sized ones provide the right amount of space for the roots of herbs to grow indoors. Just cut the top of the jug or folded portion of the milk carton off and discard.

💙 Dairy Farm VISIT

Plan a trip to a local dairy farm to learn about the milk production process. Many farms offer tours around this important beverage.

💙 RAISE Social Awareness

Use social media posts with the hashtags #NationalMilkDay, #MilkDay, #Milk, #FoodHolidays, #JanuaryHolidays, #Holiday, #FindADayToLOVE, #iHEARTdays to support the importance of celebrating, promoting, and sharing with the world why you ❤️ National MILK Day.

LEARN more about the benefits of MILK & DAIRY FARMING

MILK’S JOURNEY FOR KIDS

DAIRY FARMERS

FUNNY MILK COMMERCIALS – AWON BEUW

FUNNY MILK COMMERCIALS – HEAVEN?

FUNNY MILK COMMERCIALS – CHOC-O-RAMA

TEN Fun Facts you never knew about National MILK Day

1. Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, developed pasteurization in 1864 at the request of Napoleon III, the French emperor, to destroy harmful bacteria in wine. It makes eating certain foods that require pasteurization safe. This includes milk.
2. But it wasn’t until 1913 when Alice Evans went to work for the dairy division of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), tasked with figuring out how to make cheddar cheese taste better. And we all appreciate her contribution. Initially the dairy division “did not want any women scientists” within their midst. Her work connecting cattle-borne bacteria and illness in humans eventually convinced the dairy industry that pasteurization was indeed necessary to enjoy your cold milk, please.
3. More than 6 billion people around the world drink milk.
4. 1940 sees Dairy Queen open its first store in Joliet, Illinois before WWII has even ended.
5. The largest producers of milk in the world are the United States, India, UK, Germany, France, Russia, and Turkey.
6. In a moo-ving endorsement, milk became the official state beverage of 21 U.S. states.
7. The Milky Way candy bar was inspired by the milkshake, not our galaxy. It was originally designed to taste like a malted milkshake.
8. In the spirit of all things bovine, COW APPRECIATION Day is celebrated on the second Tuesday in July. Dressing like a cow can even score you some free food at restaurants like Chick-fil-A!
9. One glass of milk has as much calcium as 10 cups of spinach! Who needs Popeye when you’ve got milk?
10. A single cow can produce 6.3 gallons (almost 24 liters) of milk a day. That’s around 350,000 glasses of milk in its lifetime!

Famous PEOPLE also born on January 11th

• Alexander Hamilton

  One of the United States’ founding fathers and the first Secretary of the US Treasury best known for writing the “Federalist Papers”. Was also featured in the famous US “got milk?” commercial featuring “Who shot Alexander Hamilton in that famous duel? … Aaron Burr. Born 1755.

  ALEXANDER HAMILTON Quote

  “Hard words are very rarely useful. Real firmness is good for every thing. Strut is good for nothing.”

• Joseph Jackson Lister

  British optician who perfected the optical microscope by developing the achromatic objective lens. Born 1786.

  JOSEPH JACKSON LISTER Quote

  “I trust I may be enabled in the treatment of patients always to act with a single eye to their good.”

• Mary J Blige

  Grammy Award-Winning American R&B singer who released a half dozen multi-platinum records. Born 1971.

  MARY J BLIGE Quote

  “There’s so many things that life is, and no matter how many breakthroughs, trials will exist and we’re going to get through it. Just be strong.”

Future DATES for National MILK Day

Year	Date	Day of the Week
2023	January 11	Wednesday
2024	January 11	Thursday
2025	January 11	Saturday
2026	January 11	Sunday
2027	January 11	Monday
2028	January 11	Tuesday

🥛 Milk FAQ

WHEN is National MILK Day?

• National MILK Day is an annual celebration held on January 11th each year.

How is MILK celebrated around the world?

• For instance, India’s National MILK Day is observed and celebrated on November 26th to honor Dr Verghese Kurien’s birth. India was once a country that was quite deficient in milk. Dr Kurien’s initiatives led to India’s White Revolution and he was aptly named the Milkman of India. This led to India becoming the number one producer of milk globally. So if you’re in India on November 26th, you could always boil up some milk and try your hand at making “ras mulai”, a relatively easy milk-based dessert. Yum!

Is there more than one MILK day?

• Aside from various countries having their own celebratory milk days, there’s also World MILK Day, observed on June 1st and created by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. This day is designed as an observance to show the importance of milk as a global food.

Why we L💜VE National MILK Day

Unfortunately, some people suffer from lactose intolerance, and their bodies can’t digest milk or dairy products. Thankfully plant milk largely made from almond, coconut, soy, and oats are pretty good tasty replacements fortified with some nutrients. You’ll find these plant-based milks a refreshing replacement to drink and to cook with especially if you’re trying to be vegan.

Throughout history, humans have been genetically coded to consume milk from mammals. Milk contains colostrum, a nutrient in mammary glands that helps you develop immunity. Milk is high in protein. Skim and low-fat milk have fewer calories than regular milk and virtually no saturated fat. We LOVE milk because its nine essential nutrients including calcium and vitamin D are important for strong bones and teeth.

Finally, it’s just downright MOO-velous! Whether you’re a dairy aficionado or simply enjoy a refreshing glass of milk, it’s a day to revel in the goodness of this udderly fantastic beverage.

1. NOSTALGIC Childhood Classic

   National MILK Day takes us back to the good ol’ days when milk was delivered in glass bottles. For many, milk evokes nostalgic memories of childhood. Warm milk and cookies before bed, a glass of chocolate milk after a big game, or a bowl of cereal for breakfast – these simple moments are woven into the fabric of our personal histories. Milk represents a sense of warmth, comfort, and familiarity.

2. ECONOMIC Impact

   From milk to cheese and butter, the dairy industry contributes significantly to the economy. National MILK Day goes beyond the glass and recognizes the economic impact of the industry.

3. CULINARY Chameleon

   The versatility of milk is truly remarkable. It’s the base for countless beloved dishes, from creamy pasta sauces and cheesy casseroles to frothy lattes and decadent ice cream. Whether enjoyed plain, flavored, or incorporated into culinary creations, milk adds a touch of richness and comfort to our meals.

Got MILK?

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