# Saw an ad in a local paper for "white milk". What does that term mean to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 29, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565 "2022-08-29T21:59:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/21 "2022-08-29T22:43:48Z")
Wisconsin child of the 70s here. I seem to remember our daily afternoon milk break had the cooler handles labeled “white” and “chocolate”. That would be, in my memory, the only context where it was anything other than “milk”. And remember: June is Dairy Month. Our bank had a chiller in the lobby all month. I loved going to the bank with my mom. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/22 "2022-08-29T22:49:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’ve never heard the term ‘white milk’. SoCal native. Me, too. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/23 "2022-08-29T22:49:55Z")
> [@susan](#): > > milkman” seems problematic If there still were any, we could make a move similar to the one from “mailman” to “mail carrier.” A milk carrier sounds like a species of insect though. [DAVID ATTENBOROUGH VOICE] _While in its juvenile phase, the spotted milk carrier spider will transfer up to 3 mililiters of sap from the milkwood tree to the ants it has a symbiotic relationship with._ [/DAVID ATTENBOROUGH VOICE]. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/24 "2022-08-29T22:51:29Z")
My dad worked for the Post Office (and as it transitioned to the Postal Service), and the official term was “letter carrier.” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/25 "2022-08-29T22:54:16Z")
We just called mailmen “person persons”. We also were fans of that British band Personfred Person. On the farm, we used to have a milkman deliver, until about 1969, when the local dairy ceased delivery. So he transitioned: he became the gas truck driver. (note: not same truck) ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/26 "2022-08-29T23:23:22Z")
Utah native and never heard of it. This is the first time. It was just milk or chocolate milk. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/27 "2022-08-29T23:42:05Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I can’t for the life of me remember anyone having pre-made chocolate milk at home. I’m pretty sure they sell it, but I’ve never seen it at anyone’s house. I commonly see it in grocery stores and do occasionally buy some. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/28 "2022-08-29T23:42:41Z")
> [@omenran](#): > > I do know about the blue milk scandals. Never heard of this. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/29 "2022-08-29T23:46:24Z")
I’d assume it meant “as opposed to chocolate”, but an ad seems an awfully odd context for it, unless the ad also mentioned chocolate milk. Born and bred in Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/30 "2022-08-29T23:46:47Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > > [@omenran](#): > > > > I do know about the blue milk scandals. > > Never heard of this. That’s when the milk went bad and Aunt Beru served it to Luke. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/31 "2022-08-30T00:09:31Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > > I’ve never heard the term ‘white milk’. SoCal native. > > Me, too. Older than you guys SoCal native. There was white milk, chocolate milk and the rather rare pink milk. I assume it was all whole milk, but I’m not sure about that. Early 60’s to middle 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![omenran](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omenran/32/3318_2.png) [@omenran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omenran)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/32 "2022-08-30T00:12:42Z")
It’s from the 1850s in NYC, where cows were fed grains used in brewing, among other poor treatment of the animals. The resulting milk was bluish and whitened with chalk. Also known as the [Swill Milk scandals.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swill_milk_scandal) Not to be confused with the Purple Cow restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/33 "2022-08-30T00:14:16Z")
I started school in the late 50s. Maybe _I’m_ too old. We had little cartons of Edgemar milk at school, but we didn’t have the money for that. We had to take a thermos. Ugh – those horrible glass vacuum thermoses. One drop and they’re done for. Once I was walking to school by myself (unusual), and I dropped my lunchbox, and my thermos broke. I started to cry, and a lady waiting for the bus gave me a nickel to buy milk. I’ve remembered that all these years. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/34 "2022-08-30T00:18:40Z")
Never saw or heard the term before. In fact, i thought the thread was going to be about whole milk, which is white, as distinct from skim milk, which is blueish. New England/New York/New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/35 "2022-08-30T00:20:09Z")
I remember those horrible thermoses too. We were allowed one school lunch a week due to cost which was when I was exposed to the cartons, the rest of the time it was lunchbox food and slightly sour, warm thermos milk. That was a nice lady who deserves to be remembered kindly. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/36 "2022-08-30T00:20:46Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > “white milk”. Being of the area, I knew immediately it meant either whole, 2%, 1%, or skim milk. Yes, we had this too. Don’t forget that in addition to chocolate milk, some locations had strawberry milk and where I live there was even a push for root beer flavored milk. Anything to get the kiddies to drink milk. But that’s when the pushback started because so many kids and adults can’t tolerate milk so the extra flavors never got more than a toehold. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/37 "2022-08-30T00:49:11Z")
Grew up on the south side of Chicago in the 60s. Yep, white milk as opposed to chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/38 "2022-08-30T00:52:25Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > [DAVID ATTENBOROUGH VOICE] _While in its juvenile phase, the spotted milk carrier spider will transfer up to 3 mililiters of sap from the milkwood tree to the ants it has a symbiotic relationship with._ [/DAVID ATTENBOROUGH VOICE]. After several years, the males will transition to the chocolate milkwood tree where they will remain until paired off with a female life mate. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/39 "2022-08-30T00:54:00Z")
I deeply desire to partake of the fruit from a chocolate milkwood tree. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565/40 "2022-08-30T01:14:44Z")
I also encountered it as a kid at school, to distinguish it from the chocolate milk. But seeing it in an ad would make me wonder if it meant something else, since it seems redundant otherwise. I note that some kids called it “vanilla milk,” but that would obviously mean something different in an ad, i.e. milk actually flavored with vanilla. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-an-ad-in-a-local-paper-for-white-milk-what-does-that-term-mean-to-you/970565.md?page=3)