Tips and Tools

The Value of a Quarter

Do you know how to really milk a quarter?

Beat the heat with nutritious summertime drinks that won't burn a hole in your wallet. A quarter can go a long way and pack a nutrient punch, if you choose your beverages wisely. While milk provides nine key vitamins and minerals for only about 25 cents an 8-ounce glass, on a gallon basis, some other options leave you with less than a full glass for your quarter*. But, more importantly, they also come up empty on some, or all, of the nine essential nutrients found in a glass of lowfat or fat free milk.

Check out what you can get for your quarter.

_{Nutrients considered included: Calcium, protein, vitamin C, iron, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B12 and phosphorus.}

_{* Average costs calculated based on August 2008 USDA and IRI nationwide grocery surveys for the average price of a gallon of milk. Cost per glass estimates were calculated by dividing average gallon price by 16 (one gallon contains 16, eight-ounce glasses). One "swig" equals 1-ounce.}

_{** Niacin equivalents}

_{Nutrient data from USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Nutrients listed meet "good source" for amount of beverage shown, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.}