Survey Finds That Too Many People Still Think Chocolate Milk Comes from Brown Cows

Milk is such a presence in our lives we probably take it for granted. Thank goodness, then, for today, World Milk Day -- one of those weird food holidays which are sometimes invented by interest groups to push a certain product. Regardless of the so-called holiday's origins, let’s take this opporunity to delve into some of the ways people appreciate milk in their daily lives.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy conducted a survey of more than 1,000 adults 18 and over in April of this year. They uncovered some shocking facts about how people think about – and drink – milk.

First off, 47% of respondents said that they aren’t sure where chocolate milk comes from. Um, guys, it comes from cows – and not just the brown kind.

Still, 33% of people – and remember, this survey talked to actual, grown-up adults – still think that chocolate milk only comes from brown cows. Actually, chocolate milk gets its flavor and color from cocoa beans.

Now that you know what milk-myths are still floating around out there, what about the ways people drink their milk?

A fair chunk of people are still hanging on to their taboo kitchen habits: 37% secretly drink milk straight out of the container, while another 29% use their kids as an excuse to buy chocolate milk for themselves.

And despite the fact that healthy lifestyle diets are all the rage right now, only 5% of people abstain from drinking milk altogether, making it a continued staple in most people’s homes.

In fact, it seems to still be one of America’s favorite beverages: One quarter of participants reported taking a trip to the grocery store before 6 in the morning just to buy milk.

We just can’t seem to escape dairy in any of its forms: An additional 95% of people surveyed currently have some type of cheese in their refrigerator.

So there you have it. Even though an unfortunate number of people can't seem to figure out where it comes from, milk is still beloved by Americans.