I was figuring out the food activity our 4-H club wanted to do at the next monthly meeting — this was back when I was a club leader.

“Let’s make ice cream in a bag!” the children said.

“We just made ice cream tonight, so maybe we should make something else,” I noted.

“OK, let’s make chocolate ice cream or strawberry ice cream!” they countered.

I think we made pretzel dough in a bag, but we celebrated the year with flavored ice cream with various add-ins at the final meeting.

When you confine the mixing to zipper-top bags, it saves on cleanup.

June is Dairy Month. Hat’s off to the cows that produce about 6.5 gallons of milk per cow daily and the farmers who care for them.

Dairy products include milk, cheese and yogurt. Dairy products provide 13 essential nutrients to nourish our bodies at all stages of our lives. 

We all need calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein and other nutrients to maintain our health. Milk is fortified with vitamin D to help build and maintain strong bones and perform many other functions.  

In fact, dairy foods provide about half of the calcium and vitamin D consumed by Americans.

Dairy products are fortified with vitamin A to keep our eyes, skin and immune system healthy.

But, what about all those other “milks” on the grocery store shelf? How do they compare to dairy?

Plant-based milks, such as almond, peanut, rice, oat, cashew and others, are not as high in protein. Most of the nutrition they provide has been added. Read and compare the Nutrition Facts labels and ingredient statements on the alternative milk choices. Some alternative beverages cost more, too, and those with nut allergies need to avoid the nut-based milks.

Plant-based beverages provide options for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet. People who are allergic to the protein in dairy milk must avoid it. Ingredient statements carry a “Contains milk” statement to alert people with allergies.

Soy milk is an option for people allergic to the protein in dairy or following a vegetarian diet. It is a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids. However, dairy milk typically has more zinc, vitamin B12 and calcium than soy milk. Note that soy protein is also among the nine leading allergens.

Some people are intolerant to the natural sugar, lactose, in milk and may experience gastric issues if they drink milk. Lactose-free milk is available, and tablets are available to help digest milk. People with lactose intolerance may be able to consume small amounts of milk or enjoy milk with meals, according to some research.

Most people, however, can benefit from the unique nutritional profile of milk and the products made from it. Consuming dairy may reduce our risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. Researchers have shown that dairy consumption may reduce our risk of type 2 diabetes.

We may reduce our risk of osteoporosis, a bone-weakening disease, by consuming adequate calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium conveniently found in dairy products.

Most of us have heard of the “gut microbiome” because that is an area of current research. We need to “feed” the healthy bacteria that reside within us. Fermented dairy products contain live cultures. “Kefir” (a fermented dairy drink) or yogurt supports gut health.

Have you ever made ice cream? It is a lesson in food science and a fun activity for people of all ages. When you mix the milk or cream with sugar and incorporate air through shaking in a bag, you are creating a creamy emulsified mixture.

Adding salt to ice allows the ice to become colder than ice without added salt. When we made ice cream in a bag with our 4-H club, I wrapped the bags in bath towels because they were very cold.

Are you ready to try making your own frozen dessert? This is a lower-fat version of ice cream made with whole milk or half and half, but you could use cream for the full-fat version or reduced-fat milk for a lighter dessert. Try different extract flavors such as mint, green coloring and mini chocolate chips, or try pineapple extract with coconut flakes.

Ice Cream in a Bag for One

½ cup whole milk or half-and-half
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the ingredients in a pint-sized freezer bag and seal the zipper well. In a separate gallon-sized freezer bag, place 4 cups of ice cubes and ½ cup of rock salt (or table salt will work). Place the small bag in the large bag and seal the outer bag. Wrap the bag with a towel or use oven mitts to protect your hands. Shake for at least 5 minutes.

When the ice cream is firm, remove it from the outer bag, place it in a bowl and add toppings such as chopped strawberries – or eat it directly from the small bag.

Makes one serving. When made with whole milk, each serving has 130 calories, 4 grams (g) fat, 4 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate and 55 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – June 5, 2025

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu