Hunger Action Month and World School Milk Day

This issue of Nutrition Connections: Advancing the Health of School-Age Children highlights Hunger Action Month and World School Milk Day, focusing on dairy’s role in providing health benefits and advancing nutrition security around the globe. In this issue, explore new resources, recipe updates, and ways to celebrate and support student health all month long. 

September Is Hunger Action Month 

The month of September is a time for recognizing the importance of connecting those in need to nutritious food. Milk, yogurt and cheese provide high-quality nutrients, are accessible and affordable, and play an important role in nutrition security around the world.

In 2024, the International Dairy Federation conducted a global survey on school meal programs. The findings showed that 98% of school meal programs served milk, 48% served yogurt and 32% served cheese. These nutrient-rich options support child health, academic performance and food security for over 210 million children in 104 countries.

Celebrate World School Milk Day—Sept. 24

Join schools and communities around the world in celebrating World School Milk Day on September 24! This global observance emphasizes the importance of equitable access to dairy, reinforcing its value in nourishing children and supporting their development worldwide.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Download Dairy Council of California’s complimentary World School Milk Day toolkit with ready-to-use resources, activity ideas and promotional materials. 
• Participate in our School Milk Shoutout Campaign. Share photos, stories and shoutouts on social media, showing how milk is part of your school meals. Bonus: Participating schools will have the chance to win fun prizes! Learn more here.
• Order our Milk Has Superpowers poster. Designed for school cafeterias, this engaging resource showcases the essential nutrients in milk that support strong bones, healthy growth and lifelong wellness. Access the poster here. For additional posters highlighting the health benefits of milk, enter Fuel Up’s Milk Poster Giveaway by Sept. 5, 2025.
• NEW this year: Celebrate with a special Spanish-language virtual farm tour on Sept. 24 at 9 or 10 a.m. Sign up here.

Bring the Farm to Your School

Bring Agriculture to life with our Mobile Dairy Classroom! This engaging, hands-on assembly features a real dairy cow and teaches students how milk and dairy foods are made and how they contribute to healthy eating. It's a fun and unique way to bring agricultural literacy to life and show students where their food comes from. We typically book up fast so don’t delay! Register here.

Updated Tools for Schools: Recipe Cards for School Foodservice

Looking for recipes? Our eight delicious, globally inspired recipes created by child nutrition professionals have just been updated, featuring a new recipe: Cheesy Beef Pasta from Kern County superintendent of schools! These easy-to-prepare recipes are all U.S. Department of Agriculture meal pattern creditable and standardized for child nutrition programs. Access recipe cards here.

From Farm to School: How California Agriculture Nourishes Students

Dairy Council of California joined partners at the Fueling Student Success Through School Meals event hosted by the California Cattle Council, an educational showcase for policymakers and agricultural leaders celebrating the vital role of California agriculture in nourishing students through farm-to-school efforts.

The event highlighted the essential role of school meals, nutrition education and local school wellness policies in supporting student health and academic success, while underscoring the vital contribution of milk and dairy—alongside beef—in providing the nutrients students need to grow, learn and thrive. Through interactive displays including exhibits by leaders at the California School Nutrition Association and California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division and a locally inspired school lunch experience, over 65 attendees, including Assemblyman Juan Alanis, Vice Chair of the Ag Committee, and CA Department of Food and Agriculture's Secretary Karen Ross, saw firsthand how school meals and wellness policies work together to strengthen nutrition security and student well-being across California.

Connect With Dairy Council of California

Come and see us at these upcoming events:

• School Wellness Summit (Solvang, Sept. 16–17)
• Sacramento School Wellness Summit (Sacramento, Sept. 24)
• California Agriculture in the Classroom Conference (Sacramento, Sept. 26–28) 

Let's Work Together

Have questions, ideas or want to collaborate?

Contact Maria Frye, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Community & School Engagement Project Manager, at mfrye@dairycouncilofca.org.