If there’s one faithful standby food item in the canvas of my life, chocolate milk is it. I drink it for breakfast, lunch and dinner (or breakfast, dinner and supper if you prefer) and anytime in between. Anderson Erickson Dairy is our local purveyor of all scrumptious dairy offerings around here in Central Iowa and when I say they “DO” chocolate milk, I mean it. In our house, there’s never a question of what brand of milk we are purchasing, but there can be a question of what kind of chocolate milk we will have on hand from AE at any given time. I mean seriously, there are so many offerings. Whether seasonal “AE After Dinner Mint” (my daughter’s favorite) or AE Whole Chocolate Milk (my new favorite), one thing is for certain: in this house, chocolate milk is savored.
Miriam Erickson Brown, the CEO of the Iowa-based family business is credited with adding AE Whole Chocolate Milk offering back into the lineup, after a multiple decade departure. In the “Lite” food craze of the ’80’s, fat was considered a diet foe. But now with recent research and consumer taste buds begging for whole fat dairy, it is only natural that AE Whole Chocolate Milk made a comeback in early 2017. Everyone at AE’s weekly taste-tests were also thrilled to bring back such a tasty treat.
Chocolate milk is touted as a great exercise recovery drink, no ice, protein powders or blenders required. Pour and go. My kind of preparation! Kids need nutrition too, and sliding a glass of chocolate milk down the counter to them is much easier than any alternative I know about!
Lord knows we’ve got to keep the athletes in the house happy…
*Photo credit: Sherrylynn Photo
And the mini-farmers too…
Lots of my friends are into food and wine pairings. I can get totally in that kind of mood, when I’m in Napa, California. But let’s face it, I am a mom of two on a farm in Iowa. We dig chocolate milk, and I love to have a little nibble on the side as well.
Here are my favorite ways to enjoy AE Whole Chocolate Milk!
- “The Stand Alone”: pair AE Whole Chocolate Milk with a well chilled glass for the ultimate chocolate milk experience. The nostalgic flavor of the creamy chocolate milk of your youth will take you right back, no pairing needed!
- “The Cookie Monster”: pair AE Whole Chocolate Milk with my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for an indulgent experience!
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“The Fruity Escape”: pair AE Whole Chocolate Milk with a mix of berries such as, red raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or blueberries for a refreshing twist. The brightness and tartness of the berries will complement the rich, luxurious mouth feel of the chocolate milk.
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“The Monkey Around”: pair a refreshing cold glass of AE Whole Chocolate milk with a small banana spread with a tablespoon of chunky peanut butter, or chocolate hazelnut spread.
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“The Sweet and Salty”: pair AE Whole Chocolate Milk with regular, salted, kettle cooked potato chips. The transition from sweet to salty will surely please your palate.
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“The Cereal Swap”: on occasion, swapping the standard white milk for AE Whole Chocolate Milk in cereal can make for some fun! (Try: Rice Krispies, Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Grape Nuts)
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“Gingerbread Man”: one wouldn’t believe that the best cookie to pair with chocolate milk would be one that has several different spices, but it works. Try this soft Ginger Spice Cookie recipe with your next half gallon of AE Whole Chocolate Milk.
More:
Peanut Butter/Celery + a glass of chocolate milk
Spicy Candied Bacon + a glass of chocolate milk
Rice Krispy Treats + a glass of chocolate milk
Tractor Approved Energy Bites + a glass of chocolate milk
Caramel Apple Sundaes + a glass of chocolate milk
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AE Dairy. The opinions and text are all mine.
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