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"What's it going to cost?" That is one of the key questions that come up when school nutrition professionals are deciding whether to offer the New Look of School Milk program. Of course, seeing student nutrition improve through increased milk consumption, one of the benefits of the New Look of School Milk, makes everyone happy — no one wants to see healthy garbage cans! Yet evaluating the ability to balance the cost difference between milk in plastic bottles, a key component of the program, and paperboard cartons is an integral part of the process. Now there is an easy-to-use online New Look of School Milk Financial Calculator that can be used as a guide to see how this enhanced milk program can work for you.

Balancing the Cost Difference

Stacey Stradley, school marketing manager for American Dairy Association Mideast, says, "The calculator was developed because there's so much more to consider in the financial picture, than the carton/plastic bottle cost difference. While the calculator is only a guide, often districts see an increase in federal reimbursements significant enough to offset the additional cost. Or, schools find that the cost difference is much smaller than they had originally anticipated."

How the Easy-to-Use Calculator Works:

The calculator takes those projected increases in milk sales and meal participation — based on those demonstrated in the School Milk Pilot Test — and balances them against any increased costs associated with the improved milk products. The calculator then provides individualized results for the district, which can be printed and presented to your School Board or Administration. If you still have additional costs incurred from switching to plastic bottles, the calculator offers lots of alternatives to help you balance the difference.

Your local Dairy Council^® is an excellent resource to help you with the Calculator and explore getting the New Look of School Milk for your program. Contact your local Dairy Council^®.

Click here for the New Look of School Milk Financial Calculator.