Milk Group Targets Teens With Creator Video Series
The milkXP YouTube series pairs popular creators with education experts to reach younger audiences on milk and nutrition.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Youth
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MilkPEP launched the milkXP YouTube series, pairing creators with education experts to reach younger audiences. The effort follows federal action allowing schools to serve whole milk again.
Why it matters
Fewer than a third of American high school students drank at least one glass of milk a day in 2017, according to CDC figures. Gen Z drank 20% less milk than the national average in 2022, and teens are increasingly choosing soft drinks and energy drinks instead.
Fewer than a third of U.S. high school students drank at least one glass of milk daily in 2017, per CDC figures. Gen Z drank 20% less milk than the national average in 2022, a gap the campaign aims to address.
The players
MilkPEP
The Milk Processor Education Program is the dairy industry-funded group that runs national milk promotion campaigns.
Harper Zilmer
A 17-year-old Dallas influencer with more than 14 million followers across her social media platforms, featured in the milk campaign.
The details
The milkXP series uses lessons on topics such as financial literacy, with milk positioned as the nutritional fuel behind the learning. The Gonna Need Milk campaign reaches teens on platforms including Roblox and Snapchat, and features Dallas influencer Harper Zilmer, 17, who has more than 14 million followers.
Timeline
2017: CDC figures show fewer than a third of high schoolers drank daily milk.
2022: Gen Z milk consumption fell 20% below the national average.
January 2026: The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act was enacted, allowing federally funded schools to serve whole milk again.
Culture Shift
The milkXP campaign follows the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which restored whole milk to federally funded school meals in January 2026. Together they mark an effort to reverse a multi-year drop in youth milk consumption by meeting teens on the platforms where they already spend their time.
Parents and students may notice whole milk returning to federally funded school lunch options following the January 2026 law. The change gives families a new choice at school meals, while the broader campaign aims to shift daily drinking habits among teens.
The takeaway
Teen milk habits are shifting toward sugary and energy drinks, and the industry is testing whether creator-led education can reverse that trend. Families may find that offering milk alongside nutrition lessons helps young people make more informed daily drink choices.
Further reading
Explore more on Youth trends shaping how teens eat and drink.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EURweb.
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Do you plan to buy more milk for your household in the next year?
