Survey Finds That Too Many People Still Think Chocolate Milk Comes from Brown Cows

Milk is such a presence in our lives we probably take it for granted. Thank goodness, then, for today, World Milk Day — one of those weird food holidays which are sometimes invented by interest groups to push a certain product. Regardless of the so-called holiday's origins, let’s take this opportunity to delve into some of the ways people appreciate milk in their daily lives.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy conducted a survey of more than 1,000 adults 18 and over in April of this year. They uncovered some shocking facts about how people think about – and drink – milk.

First off, 48% of respondents said that they aren’t sure where chocolate milk comes from. Um, guys, it comes from cows – and not just the brown kind.

Still, 7% of people – and remember, this survey talked to actual, grown-up adults – still think that chocolate milk only comes from brown cows. Actually, chocolate milk gets its flavor and color from cocoa beans.

Now that you know what milk-myths are still floating around out there, what about the ways people drink their milk?

A fair chunk of people are still hanging on to their taboo kitchen habits: 37% secretly drink milk straight out of the container, while another 29% use their kids as an excuse to buy chocolate milk for themselves.

And despite the fact that healthy lifestyle diets are all the rage right now, only 5% of people abstain from drinking milk altogether, making it a continued staple in most people’s homes.

In fact, it seems to still be one of America’s favorite beverages: One quarter of participants reported taking a trip to the grocery store before 6 in the morning just to buy milk.

We just can’t seem to escape dairy in any of its forms: An additional 95% of people surveyed currently have some type of cheese in their refrigerator.