PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Certain kinds of milk are missing from the lunch trays in Philadelphia schools. School District of Philadelphia officials say that’s due to a packaging problem.
Supply chain issues are affecting the production of four-ounce and eight-ounce milk cartons, leading to a nationwide shortage. School District spokeswoman Monique Braxton says that's limiting milk options here.
“There is no strawberry milk. That's the only impact that we're seeing right now,” she explained. “The carton manufacturer is prioritizing half-pint production of 1% white and fat-free chocolate milk."
That’s a big concern in the district, which serves more than 300,000 cartons of milk each day. Braxton says the district is bracing for a shortage that could last months, if suppliers can't restore full production.
“We could be placed on a restrictive case allotment in the new year. So what we're doing to prepare for this is, we're currently ensuring that we have an alternative beverage available for all meal service periods,” she said.
While school meals are required to include milk, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has given schools nationwide permission to offer other types of milk, or skip it altogether. “The alternative beverages at this point would be additional hydration stations for water,” said Braxton, “also portable water dispensers and cups if necessary.”
She says the district is also looking at low-sugar juices as possible substitutes until milk carton supplies bounce back.