World School Milk Day Date in the current year: September 30, 2026

Milk is a staple in children’s diets around the world because it is nutrient-dense and provides essential nutrients for growth, such as calcium and phosphorus. Milk is also a good source of protein. This is especially important for young children, who have high nutritional requirements compared to the amount of food they can consume. Therefore, a serving of milk can supply a meaningful amount of several nutrients without requiring a large quantity of food.

School milk programs aim to increase milk consumption among school-aged children regardless of household income. They serve two main purposes. On the one hand, these programs help reduce malnutrition and hidden hunger, as well as may help increase academic performance and improve school attendance. On the other hand, they help create a stable market for domestic milk and support local dairy manufacturers.

School milk programs may take different forms. In some countries, milk is part of a government-provided school meal program. In others, the government subsidizes milk, which is then sold or distributed at schools. Some programs are income-based, providing free milk to children from low-income families and offering it at a lower price to children from higher-income families thanks to government subsidies.

Historically, school milk programs were primarily aimed at combating malnutrition, but they have since transformed and diversified. In their modern form, school milk programs in developed countries aim to improve nutrition, develop healthy dietary habits in children, and support the agricultural sector. In some countries, however, milk is incorporated into broader school meal policies, so dedicated school milk programs are not necessary. By contrast, some countries where milk have not been traditionally consumed at a large scale introduce school milk programs to support local production and diversify their agricultural sectors.

The FAO established World School Milk Day in 2000 to raise awareness of the global impact of school milk programs and promote their growth. Currently, the observance is coordinated by the International Dairy Federation, a nonprofit organization representing the global dairy industry. World School Milk Day events are organized by stakeholders in numerous countries. These events include farm visits, milking demonstrations, and other educational activities for children, as well as seminars and conferences for educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders.

World School Milk Day should not be confused with World Milk Day, which was also established by the FAO. The latter is observed on June 1 to recognize the importance of milk as a global food source. Unlike World School Milk Day, World Milk Day is listed as a United Nations international day.