by Taylor Schaefer

While winter shows its first signs of fading into spring, high school winter sports heat up as they approach the state tournament season. If you’re an athlete, parent, coach or supporter, chances are this time of year brings hopes, nerves and excitement. The culmination of months and years of hard work comes down to these final few weeks.

Whether basketball, hockey, wrestling or gymnastics, it is an electric time of year. As these athletes are leaving it all on the ice, mat or court, it’s important to remember the body’s recovery. Wisconsin chocolate milk makes recovery easy and delicious!

Recovery benefits

According to studies completed by the University of Texas, athletes enjoy physical recovery benefits when they drink low-fat chocolate milk after a vigorous workout. The water, electrolytes, protein and carbohydrates found naturally in milk provide an athlete everything their body needs in recovery to be ready for the next match. Water and electrolytes are crucial to replace the fluids lost through sweat during intense activities, while carbohydrates help replenish depleted energy stores. Protein helps repair muscles, reducing potential soreness.

Chocolate milk is a relatively inexpensive, easily available and often portable option for postgame recovery, which is why it is the official beverage of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

On a large scale, chocolate milk is typically made by steaming the milk, adding in the chocolate syrup, mixing it all together, then cooling it back down to be served nice and cold. You can even incorporate chocolate milk and more nutritious ingredients into this overnight oat recipe. Just mix 2 cups of real chocolate milk, 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats, ¼ cup of chia seeds, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ cup of roasted salted pumpkin seeds or other nuts (optional) into a large sealable container. Cover and refrigerate for at least eight hours. After stirring, add maple syrup for sweetness and top with chocolate chips, if desired.

The next time you’re reaching for a recovery beverage after the big game, reach for a chocolate milk. To ensure you are buying milk fresh from America’s Dairyland, look for the Proudly Wisconsin Badge, or the number 55 on the packaging.

Cheese championships

The upcoming WIAA State Championships and March Madness tournament inspired me to create my own competition, The Cheese Championships! As I’ve traveled to local media to talk about Wisconsin Dairy, we’ve begun to work our “whey” through the bracket, selecting our favorite Wisconsin cheeses. Mascarpone vs. Muenster, cheddar vs. mozzarella, even feta vs. cheese curds!

Visit Alice in Dairyland on social media and watch your local media channels to see who the big winner will be. Though there might be some “disa-brie-ments” along the way, healthy competition is “gouda” for us all!

Schaefer is the 75th Alice in Dairyland.