June is National Dairy Month, and organizations like the St. Louis District Dairy Council are highlighting that food category all month long.  Milk, cheese, and yogurt contain a number of key nutrients, and federal guidelines continue to recommend three servings per person per day.  There have been recent changes, though, to what specific forms of these items are considered beneficial.

Meagan Modrusic is a nutrition educator with the St. Louis District Dairy Council.  She says calcium, vitamin D, and protein are among the most notable nutrients in milk. 

When it comes to yogurt, Modrusic says special properties in that food item help with digestion, in addition to providing valuable nutrition. 

As for cheese, it has many of the aforementioned ingredients and also has been found to clean teeth well. 

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 into law.  The measure relaxes requirements for how schools provide milk to students; they can now serve whole milk or 2% milk instead of only skim milk.  Modrusic says despite some nutritional drawbacks in the reintroduced forms of milk, it is expected to ensure more kids receive the recommended dairy intake. 

Dairy products can be combined with other foods and used as recipe ingredients to add thickness or texture.  In addition, certain combinations can add fiber, which improves intestinal health

Modrusic and the St. Louis District Dairy Council also use National Dairy Month to pay tribute to those who make the initiative and dairy itself possible: the farmers. 

More information on the St. Louis District Dairy Council is available at www.stldairycouncil.org. 

Meagan Modrusic appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.