Ripple Launches Dairy-Free Milk Packs For Kids – and They’re Packed With Protein!

Those of us who grew up in the 90s likely remember the white-mustachioed, celebrity-endorsed advertisements that asked the unforgettable question: “Got Milk?” While we may not have learned the details, the dairy industry’s message was clear: cow’s milk is good for the body and if celebrities and video game characters like Mario (yes, really)  drink it, then we should, too. It turns out, the dairy industry lied to us. We didn’t need those little cartons of milk in order to grow up big and strong – and we don’t need milk to get essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and protein.

Not only can we get all of those nutrients from plant-based sources, we can also get it from fortified plant-based milk. While just ten years ago, drinking plant-based milk was mostly associated with local sage-scented health food co-ops (which, for the record, we love), the industry is now booming with varieties like soy, coconut, hemp, quinoa, and of course, almond milk, and has a market worth of $895 million alone. Last year, Ripple launched their milk, which is made from pea protein and is free of nuts, soy, and dairy. And just yesterday, they rolled out 8-ounce packs of their pea milk marketed as “just for kids.”

Ripple’s new kids’ packs feature chocolate and vanilla varieties that have 8 times more protein than almond milk, 40 percent less sugar than chocolate milk in schools, and 50 percent more calcium than dairy milk.

Ripple Foods co-founder and CEO Adam Lowry told CBS News, “we made Ripple to be dairy-free the way it should be, which is a great source of protein, a lot less sugar and really creamy and delicious the way milk should be.”

Amidst all the recent discussion of healthy lunches in public schools, Ripple is a great alternative for children who cannot consume or want to avoid dairy. The dairy industry has already admitted that they see plant-based milk as a “serious threat” — hopefully, in the near future, kids will have the option to choose a dairy-free option like this as part of their school lunch.

Ripple’s shelf-stable kids packs can be found in Target stores nationwide. A four-pack costs $5.99.

Lead image source: Ripple Foods