How Bulk Milk Programs Support School & Environmental Sustainability
April 22, 2025 | By
Bulk milk presents a tangible starting point for schools looking to enhance their sustainability efforts with visible results. This change affects every student daily, creating a conservation culture that extends far beyond the cafeteria.
The Scale & The Opportunity
Schools serve roughly 7.6 billion half-pints (or 950 million gallons) of milk annually in the United States, representing about 8% of all fluid milk consumed in the U.S.
When you consider that milk is a required component of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, which serve about 45 million children daily, it’s easy to see how milk and school food have become inextricably linked.
With this amount of milk served, inevitably, there will be waste. Due mainly to its omnipresence, milk is the most wasted item in schools. This creates a huge opportunity to save this valuable resource. Our proven Bulk Milk machine granting program is a straightforward solution that schools across the country are already using.
What’s more, this low-hanging fruit, which wastes less milk and creates less packaging waste, can be a gateway to even more sustainable solutions in schools.
The Scale & The Opportunity
Schools serve roughly 7.6 billion half-pints (or 950 million gallons) of milk annually in the United States, representing about 8% of all fluid milk consumed in the U.S.
When you consider that milk is a required component of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, which serve about 45 million children daily, it’s easy to see how milk and school food have become inextricably linked.
With this amount of milk served, inevitably, there will be waste. Due mainly to its omnipresence, milk is the most wasted item in schools. This creates a huge opportunity to save this valuable resource. Our proven Bulk Milk machine granting program is a straightforward solution that schools across the country are already using.
What’s more, this low-hanging fruit, which wastes less milk and creates less packaging waste, can be a gateway to even more sustainable solutions in schools.
Bulk Milk in Action: Tahoe Truckee
We’ve seen firsthand how transitioning from individual milk cartons to bulk milk dispensers can transform a school’s sustainability profile while improving the student dining experience.
Nestled within the Sierra Nevada mountains along the shores of Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District includes 10 schools and serves the needs of approximately 4,000 students within a 723 square mile radius overlapping three counties within the state of California. The district provides an inspiring case study of what’s possible when schools commit to sustainability through their milk service.
Bulk Milk in Action: Tahoe Truckee
We’ve seen firsthand how transitioning from individual milk cartons to bulk milk dispensers can transform a school’s sustainability profile while improving the student dining experience.
Nestled within the Sierra Nevada mountains along the shores of Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District includes 10 schools and serves the needs of approximately 4,000 students within a 723 square mile radius overlapping three counties within the state of California. The district provides an inspiring case study of what’s possible when schools commit to sustainability through their milk service.
Moo-ving Forward
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District’s journey demonstrates how a seemingly simple change — switching from cartons to bulk dispensers — can catalyze broader sustainability efforts.
Bulk milk presents a tangible starting point for schools looking to enhance their sustainability efforts with visible results. This change affects every student daily, creating a conservation culture that extends far beyond the cafeteria.
As we continue to support schools in their transition to more sustainable operations, our Bulk Milk program is a critical and highly achievable component of holistic school food reform. It benefits student health, school budgets, and our shared environment, and is a great starting place for any district.
Moo-ving Forward
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District’s journey demonstrates how a seemingly simple change — switching from cartons to bulk dispensers — can catalyze broader sustainability efforts.
Bulk milk presents a tangible starting point for schools looking to enhance their sustainability efforts with visible results. This change affects every student daily, creating a conservation culture that extends far beyond the cafeteria.
As we continue to support schools in their transition to more sustainable operations, our Bulk Milk program is a critical and highly achievable component of holistic school food reform. It benefits student health, school budgets, and our shared environment, and is a great starting place for any district.
