# Chocolate Milk **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [January 10, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121 "2011-01-10T18:42:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/101 "2011-01-12T13:41:25Z")
> [@luv2draw](#): > > Only drink chocolate milk if it’s organic. You don’t really want to know why. My husband was told that factories use the _bloody_ milk because the chocolate covers it. Doesn’t bother either of us. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![limegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@limegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/limegreen)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/102 "2011-01-12T14:55:55Z")
Wait…what? I’ve milked cows before, and never got bloody milk. Is it from too-rough milking machines…or do I not want to know what you have to do to a cow to get it to give bloody milk…? ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/103 "2011-01-12T15:08:00Z")
It’s a myth. [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/food/chocmilk.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/104 "2011-01-12T15:10:38Z")
Well, that’s good to know! Okay, **luvs2draw** , why only organic milk? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/105 "2011-01-12T15:32:43Z")
I think **Ellis Dees’** argument about the sophistication of one’s palate has a bit of merit to it - but (with respect) not a whole lot. To me, the sine qua non of adulthood is a significantly higher degree of self-awareness than one had in childhood. Kids like things, want things, and do things; adults, by virtue of experience, education, and neurological development, are better-equipped to stand back and think about _why_ they like, want, and do things. One of the benefits of this self-awareness is that it lets us appreciate a number of experiences that go right over the heads of children. A lot of art, for example, requires the viewer to think about how it effects him or her to be fully appreciated. And a lot of food and drink is improved by actually pausing to _notice_ the subtleties of flavor and texture. A willingness to do that is, to my way of thinking, what we mean when we talk about a sophisticated palate. The thing is, though, that you don’t need to do that all the time. Look, I’m a reasonably well-educated adult, and I enjoy plenty of well-educated adult things: Classical music, jazz, Shakespeare, single-malt Scotch, and so on. But that doesn’t mean I can’t choose to enjoy simpler things as well - Star Trek, doughnuts, and so on. That doesn’t mean I’m unsophisticated (I hope!) ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/106 "2011-01-12T15:38:11Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Thanks - I don’t live in NYC, but I visit fairly often. Good to know. Saks also has a “Chocolate Bar” Is YooHoo an acceptable beverage for adults? I wouldn’t order chocolate milk in a place that didn’t have it on the menu. I don’t typically order it out because I’m fussy about how it’s made. Same with egg salad. If someone at a neighboring table ordered chocolate milk I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash. ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/107 "2011-01-12T15:46:42Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > I think **Ellis Dees’** argument about the sophistication of one’s palate has a bit of merit to it - but (with respect) not a whole lot. > > To me, the sine qua non of adulthood is a significantly higher degree of self-awareness than one had in childhood. Kids like things, want things, and do things; adults, by virtue of experience, education, and neurological development, are better-equipped to stand back and think about _why_ they like, want, and do things. > > One of the benefits of this self-awareness is that it lets us appreciate a number of experiences that go right over the heads of children. A lot of art, for example, requires the viewer to think about how it effects him or her to be fully appreciated. And a lot of food and drink is improved by actually pausing to _notice_ the subtleties of flavor and texture. A willingness to do that is, to my way of thinking, what we mean when we talk about a sophisticated palate. > > The thing is, though, that you don’t need to do that all the time. Look, I’m a reasonably well-educated adult, and I enjoy plenty of well-educated adult things: Classical music, jazz, Shakespeare, single-malt Scotch, and so on. But that doesn’t mean I can’t choose to enjoy simpler things as well - Star Trek, doughnuts, and so on. That doesn’t mean I’m unsophisticated (I hope!) This. Nice post. It can set some people off to hear someone say something like “dark chocolate tastes like dirt,” because it gives one the (possibly false) impression that they really are acting childish – not pausing and attempting to appreciate the deep, subtle flavors beneath the bitterness – after all, saying “dark chocolate tastes like dirt” is exactly the sort of thing a child might say, before later discovering that he loves it. ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/108 "2011-01-12T15:57:59Z")
Wait a second… > [@Mr. Excellent](#): > > Look, I’m a reasonably well-educated adult, and I enjoy plenty of well-educated adult things: Classical music, jazz, Shakespeare, single-malt Scotch, and so on. But that doesn’t mean I can’t choose to enjoy simpler things as well - Star Trek WHAT? STOP RIGHT THERE [rolls up sleeves, downs a bottle of quadruple Malt scotch, and paces for 5 minutes] … you mean TOS, right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![clarkstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@clarkstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clarkstar)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/109 "2011-01-12T16:32:12Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > Not as silly as concerning yourself over what someone other than you or your dependents orders at a restaurant. exactly. mind your own affairs mr holier than thou :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/110 "2011-01-12T16:44:15Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > My husband was told that factories use the _bloody_ milk because the chocolate covers it. Doesn’t bother either of us. 🙂 Pfft!!! Everyone knows you get chocolate milk from BROWN COWS. Duh! Doesn’t anyone play FarmVille? ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/111 "2011-01-12T16:56:18Z")
I love the stuff and I’m definitely harder and much more sophisticted then you are. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/112 "2011-01-12T16:57:52Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > The thing is, though, that you don’t need to do that all the time. Look, I’m a reasonably well-educated adult, and I enjoy plenty of well-educated adult things: Classical music, jazz, Shakespeare, single-malt Scotch, and so on. But that doesn’t mean I can’t choose to enjoy simpler things as well - Star Trek, doughnuts, and so on. That doesn’t mean I’m unsophisticated (I hope!) And the irony is that people forget that people like Mozart and Shakespeare and Armstrong (and probably the guys who distilled scotch whiskey) were all just popular mass entertainmers when they started out. They were the equivalent of Lady Gaga and Seinfeld. There’s really only two kinds of entertainment - good and bad. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/113 "2011-01-12T17:53:54Z")
I might have it at home (although I prefer strawberry milk), but I’d never order it at a restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/114 "2011-01-12T18:12:45Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Isn’t it silly for a grownup to order chocolate milk at a restaurant? Nope. Milk is one of the things you can drink if you’ve got an ulcer, and milk is also a good antidote to chilli. So what’s the problem with flavouring it? ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/115 "2011-01-12T18:56:20Z")
How about rich, chocolaty Ovaltine? ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/116 "2011-01-12T19:21:55Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > I think **Ellis Dees’** argument about the sophistication of one’s palate has a bit of merit to it - but (with respect) not a whole lot. > > To me, the sine qua non of adulthood is a significantly higher degree of self-awareness than one had in childhood. Kids like things, want things, and do things; adults, by virtue of experience, education, and neurological development, are better-equipped to stand back and think about _why_ they like, want, and do things. > > One of the benefits of this self-awareness is that it lets us appreciate a number of experiences that go right over the heads of children. A lot of art, for example, requires the viewer to think about how it effects him or her to be fully appreciated. And a lot of food and drink is improved by actually pausing to _notice_ the subtleties of flavor and texture. A willingness to do that is, to my way of thinking, what we mean when we talk about a sophisticated palate. > > The thing is, though, that you don’t need to do that all the time. Look, I’m a reasonably well-educated adult, and I enjoy plenty of well-educated adult things: Classical music, jazz, Shakespeare, single-malt Scotch, and so on. But that doesn’t mean I can’t choose to enjoy simpler things as well - Star Trek, doughnuts, and so on. That doesn’t mean I’m unsophisticated (I hope!) No, it doesn’t mean you’re unsophisticated. It means you can appreciate an experience for its own sake, on its own merits. It also means you’re not an insufferable, pretentious snob, which is a good thing! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/117 "2011-01-12T20:04:35Z")
> [@iamnotbatman](#): > > How about rich, chocolaty Ovaltine? I love Ovaltine. > [@](#): > > It can set some people off to hear someone say something like “dark chocolate tastes like dirt,” because it gives one the (possibly false) impression that they really are acting childish – not pausing and attempting to appreciate the deep, subtle flavors beneath the bitterness – after all, saying “dark chocolate tastes like dirt” is exactly the sort of thing a child might say, before later discovering that he loves it. I understand where you’re coming from, but I don’t know that appreciating the “deep, subtle flavors beneath the bitterness” of dark chocolate makes you sophisticated. I think it makes you both attuned to subtle flavors and less bothered by bitterness than someone like me. Granted, your description _is_ a bit more sophisticated than “tastes like dirt”, but I was going for brevity. > [@Ellis Dee](#): > > I haven’t a clue what your laundry list of grown-up responsibilities has to do with your palate. I also noticed you dropped the “cutting off the crusts” and “ordering in a restaurant” part of the example. Do you do that, or even want to do that? If not, then I wasn’t talking about you. My laundry list of grown up responsibilities has nothing to do with my palate. You stated that “If you don’t care about being childish – not looking childish in a restaurant, but actually \*being \*childish – go nuts with the chocolate milk.” I insist that my choice of beverage is not the sole (or even a very reliable) indicator of my maturity level. Of course, your statement doesn’t directly apply to me since I quite enjoy bread crusts. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/118 "2011-01-12T20:12:33Z")
**malkavia** – as far as you and I are concerned, loving Ovaltine is all that matters. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/119 "2011-01-12T20:17:07Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Pfft!!! Everyone knows you get chocolate milk from BROWN COWS. Duh! Doesn’t anyone play FarmVille? is that why Black women were used as nursemaids back in slavery days? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121/120 "2011-01-12T20:47:05Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > It’s not ordering chocolate milk that’s childish. I agree the guy gets bonus cool point for bucking the trend. What’s childish is having so little refinement in your palate that you’d actually _want_ to order chocolate milk. That’s minus a million cool points, so it’s a net loss. > > Whoever tried to make the counterpoint that toast is also childish, that was a retarded fail. Ordering a chocolate milk is like ordering a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread with the crusts cut off. Nothing wrong with ordering it; it’s the _wanting_ it that’s a sign of arrested development. Of course adults are “allowed” to be in a state of arrested development, but it’s hardly something worthy of praise. > > If you don’t care about being childish – not looking childish in a restaurant, but actually _being_ childish – go nuts with the chocolate milk. (Arguing that coffee is gross isn’t exactly helping the cause, btw.) > > Reminds me of the Friends scene between Ross and Chandler: > > Chandler: Whatcha making? > Ross: Chocolate milk. Want some? > Chandler: I’m **29**. This is a childish way to think. So if liking chocolate milk makes you childish then here are some other examples that my 7 year old nephew likes that if you like you are childish: Hamburgers. Since my nephew likes hamburgers you are childish if you like hamburgers. Pets. My nephew likes cats and dogs so if you like cats and/or dogs then you are childish. Reading. My nephew likes to read. If you like to read then you are childish. Breathing. My nephew likes to breath. If you like to breathe you are childish. EDIT: I love ovaltine! I have a glass of the regular malt kind every morning. But then again I also like to breath so we already know I’m childish. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-milk/567121.md?page=7)