This morning I was fortunate enough to be able to speak for another MOPS group on the topic of added sugars in our pre-packaged food items. I had so many questions afterward about chocolate milk and Ovaltine that I thought I’d talk about it here a bit.

Ovaltine

First of all, in answer to many of your questions,  yes, I do recommend Ovaltine.  Although it does contain some preservatives and food coloring/dye it is definitely a healthy alternative to pre-packaged chocolate milk, Nesquik, or Hershey’s type syrup. It does not contain any hydrogenated fats or high fructose corn syrup and it does offer some extra vitamins such as B6, B12, E and Zinc to name a few. One of the things I like most about it though is that I get to control the amount that I put into my child’s milk. If I add the suggested 4 Tbs to 8oz. of milk then it’s still a whopping 30 grams of sugar (12 of which are from the lactose in milk- but still sugar). However, if I only put 2 Tbs. in then I’ve just cut the amount of added sugars in half and my child and I are both happy! I like to be in control!

Cocoa Powder

Another choice, and the healthiest choice, is to simply use cocoa powder and the sweetener of your choice. This works best for hot chocolate because the cocoa powder doesn’t dissolve quite as easily in the cold milk. I like to add a little brown sugar or, if hot, honey. For those of you who like stevia, this can be used in place of the sugar/honey. Again, this is such a great choice because YOU get to control the amount of sugar. You also know that there are no dyes, preservatives or artificial flavors added.

Be sure to check out my recipe for Homemade Hot Chocolate!