A Gallon of Milk Costs More Than a Gallon of Gas
March 25th, 2008 by Ana
Today my teenage son made an earth-shattering discovery about life here in America: “A gallon of milk costs more than even a gallon of gas!” This epiphany came swiftly on the heels of his realization of just how much milk he consumes on his own. As y’all may recall, last night at the grocery store he only bought a half gallon of milk for himself (details of the teenager’s first shopping trip on his own personal food budget here) and I wondered just how long that half gallon would last him.
Apparently, he realized this morning a half a gallon of milk will not last him long at all. He poured himself about 6 ounces in a glass, then filled his super-sized cereal bowl up just as he usually does. He now only has a quarter of a gallon left! That’s right: his half gallon carton of milk is now half empty. For those feeling witty, the teenager will not be persuaded it is actually half-full.
It was an interesting (and for me, amusing) conversation as he held the milk carton up for me to see. I think he is beginning to understand why I was so strict about how much milk he could drink when we all shared a gallon.
“I didn’t think I drank THAT much milk by myself! I thought you two were drinking it too!”
“No, son, I usually don’t get any milk to drink. If I am lucky there will be some left for cooking most weeks.”
“This isn’t good, Mom … a gallon of milk costs more than a gallon of gas…” (pausing for thought) “…and I ain’t getting any more grocery money til next week, right?”
I think the first lesson of this experiment just hit home! After months and months of trying to tell the boy about how grocery prices are rising and how he just can’t eat everything in the pantry and refrigerator unrestrained, I think he has learned the concept on his own in less than 16 hours. I think he will no longer fill the super-sized cereal bowl to the rim with milk (these cereal bowls are barely smaller than mixcing bowls - only because I refuse to let him use the small mixing bowl for cereal). I think the tall glasses of milk for each meal and every snack in between may fall by the wayside as well.
I also predict next week the teenager will buy a full gallon, and keep about $5 back from his grocery budget for a midweek milk run. Of course, I also think my hubby will pour some of our milk into the teenager’s half gallon carton when I’m not looking … but as long as it’s only this week I won’t fuss about it.
This experiment is working out better than I dared to hope!
Related posts about my teenage son and just how much he eats:
- My decision to put the teenager on his own food budget (and why)
- The economics of feeding a teenage boy (be sure to read the comments on this one!)
March 25th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I’m just loving this! We call my teenage son “Dairy Boy” because he is and has always been a fiend for all dairy products - milk especially. I’m not yet at the point where I’m willing to restrict his milk consumption, since we’ve always encouraged it (and he’s tall and strong so it obviously worked its bone-building wonders). But if our family continues at its current 4 gallon a week pace (and we pay $6.99/gallon for local organic milk at our co-op !!), then I may consider putting him on the same regimen.
March 26th, 2008 at 1:45 am
If he is going to restrict his milk consumption, I suggest getting some calcium supplements for him. You too, since you say you do not drink any milk! You are a woman! You need milk!
The cost is extremely rising, but suggested servings of milk are important to your health. Well, until they start putting so many hormones in the thing that we all start growing a second head. Really, I would suggest that he cut down on the junk food to meet the milk budget. (Although if he is drinking way more than the suggested serving, this practice is totally working in everyone’s favor!
)
March 26th, 2008 at 7:48 am
When I read your post about putting him on his own budget my first thought was what do you do on Thursday when he runs out of food for the week. It’s a good lesson but I know I couldn’t watch my kids go hungry and so would end up feeding them for the remaining days. I think I would develop a contingency plan in advance so that if he runs out, there is something to eat that may not be exactly what he likes or wants but will tide him over until “payday”. And while milk is good for him, so is water and most of us don’t drink nearly enough so I wouldn’t worry about a few days with no milk.
March 26th, 2008 at 8:56 am
To address the nutritional aspect of this: No dairy product is safe in this house! The teenager snarfs down milk, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and just about anything else derived from milk. He is in absolutely no danger of becoming calcium-deficient. One of his favorite snacks is to take a burrito sized tortilla and melt as much cheese as he can fit on it. I’ve informed him he will be buying his own tortillas and cheese next week when he runs out of what is currently in the refrigerator. Oh the wailing and gnashing of teeth at that announcement!
March 26th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Your son reminds me of my brother. When he was a teenager, he’d rocket through a few gallons of milk a week all on his own. He used to line his empty glasses up on the mantle in the living room or on his bookshelf in his room, like some kind of trophy.
I strongly disagree with Katie. Adults do not “need” milk. Don’t believe the dairy industry propaganda. Milk is not essential to good health, and in fact, it benefits many people to cut milk out of their diets. Calcium is good stuff, sure, but it can be obtained via many other sources in a properly balanced diet.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Tina has a really good point, and I would recommend reading T. Colin Campbell’s book “The China Study” and anything by John A. McDougall, M.D. for more information about the risks of having dairy products in your diet.
I no longer use dairy products and have switched to soy and rice drinks. These are even more expensive than milk: rice beverage is around $2.20 per quart and soy beverage around $3.29 per half gallon in my area. Pricey, but I figure I am saving a lot because I won’t be suffering from diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, or osteoporosis in the future.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:45 am
It’s amazing how much milk costs lately - I try and stick to a budget of less than $100 bucks a week for groceries, and I buy two gallons each week because at my local Ralphs and Vons stores they discount the second gallon if you buy two at once. We go through it crazy-fast, I too like cereal in the morning and so does my 3 year old along with two or three sippy cups of milk during the day. I don’t let her drink a lot of juice or any soda at all, so it’s milk or water pretty much.
One great money saving tip that I’ve discovered - invest in the large box of powdered non-fat milk and mix the non-fat powdered milk one-to-one with the real milk. You’ll double the amount for little money, and there’s really very little taste difference. In thin weeks where we can’t afford another gallon until I get a paycheck, we all drink the powdered stuff and trust me, we survive. And I definitely only use the mix in baking.
March 27th, 2008 at 7:08 am
What a fantastic experiment. My children are still toddlers, but I know as a teenager I had no idea how much things cost, espite going food shopping with my parents and hearing them complain about prices. I think this is such an excellent idea that I will almost certainly do it with my children when they get older.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
This sounds like a fabulous idea! How do you prevent him from eating “your” food?
I too have a teen who scarfs down milk. Yesterday I bought 2 gallons. One is almost gone. I let him know that I’m not buying any more milk until March 31…when it’s gone, it’s gone!
March 27th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
My son is only six, so I don’t have to worry about it yet, but budgeting kids for food is such a great idea! I’m definitely going to try it for both clothes and food, then I can say, “Hey, you bought it yourself, don’t blame me.”
It’s also true that you don’t “have” to have milk … neither my sons nor I can drink it, but we get our calcium & vitamin D from other foods, and it saves some expense because I have trained them both to like water
March 28th, 2008 at 1:25 am
I’m going to weigh in on the healthfulness of milk and speak from personal experience, not from some random stranger’s vegetarian/vegan agenda. While I do not presently make a habit of drinking cow’s milk on a regular basis, it is largely because the milk is high in lactose, and in the last three years I have developed a severe intolerance to sugars and many starches. I do not understand how people can say with a straight face that eating fat or eating animal foods causes diabetes when that disease (type 2) runs in my family and I’m on the brink of acquiring it myself, but if I base my diet on animal foods and fats, I can keep my blood sugar under better control and not get sick and migrainey.
My huge post-second-pregnancy weight gain came on the back of following a vegetarian, sometimes vegan diet. I drank soy and rice milk regularly. They ruined my health. I found out later that plant seeds contain several chemical compounds which discourage the seeds being eaten before they sprout, which cause health problems in the long run. Not to mention that soy has a thyroid-depressing action and rice is very high-carb.
I would agree that it’s a good idea to source calcium in other ways but only because milk *is* a sugary beverage. Cheese, however, is not; I’ve spoken with several lactose-intolerant folks who can tolerate hard cheese because most of the lactose is gone. The idea that the fat causes health problems, though, is just laughable; if you have a working gallbladder, you need fat in your diet. More than providing energy (hence the calories), it’s also raw material for hormones, skin lubrication, and nervous tissue. I don’t think it’s any accident that we’re seeing an uptic in mental health problems during the same time period in which people are exhorted to eat less and less fat even though there is no clear science to prove that fat is bad for you.
So for the calcium… I would not rely solely on plant sources, because plants don’t like to be eaten and plant minerals are not always the easiest to assimilate. However, the whey part of cow’s milk is what contains the most calcium, so cheese isn’t always the best answer. It couldn’t hurt to get your son accustomed to eating yogurt, which is still going to have whey present, and you could also show him how to make bone broth which will have lots and lots of minerals in it too.
K, I’m gonna get off my soapbox now. Got to go to bed.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Yes, you are being too harsh. Would you be asking yourself that question if you weren’t? Your inner voice is telling you something! Growing teenagers NEED milk - their bones are growing! Why are you making him feel guilty for needing food? It’s YOUR responsibilty to provide for his basic food needs, and if you are buying yourself anything extra, you are seriously selfish. That would be why he drinks so much! Why don’t you buy him the healthy food he needs to eat, and give him a little bit of money to splurge on snack food? But for goodness sakes, don’t be angry with your son for wanting to eat and drink things that his body needs!
Your problem is deeper than milk money. I’m afraid your son is going to resent you for your general attitude towards him. I wish you the best.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Bravo! Not sure if powdered milk is an option but that is what my husband and his brother drank to cut down on the costs.
May 29th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I bet I know why the boy is drinking so much milk, I was a quasi-vegetarian for 6 years; I ate fish once in a while and would’ve eaten it more but I was a poor college student. So, my only sources of regular protein were eggs and milk because I’m allergic to nuts and oats and soy and, well, a lot of things. I quit being a quasi-vegetarian because my cholesterol was sky high for someone my age who worked out every day… If he’s not allergic to nuts, you may want to get him started eating them but steer him clear of soy since it has xeno-estrogen and can interfere with testoterone production, which is probably not good for a teenage boy.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I just love it when people spout this “milk costs more than gas” tripe. Like its supposed to make us feel better about paying $4 per gallon at the pump.
News flash…when you look at the big picture, milk does not cost more than gas. An average family of four goes through 2, maybe 3 gallons of milk per week. That same family can go through 7 to 10 gallons of gas. Do the math. Roughly $14.60 a week for milk, versus $40.00 per week for gas. Does it really sound like the “milk costs more than gas” argument holds water?