I feel like I should be ashamed to admit this, but here goes. My son has no clue about McDonald's, but he definitely knows his way inside a Starbucks. When I get an afternoon pick-me-up, he usually gets chocolate milk. I should feel embarrassed because in Portland, coffee is revered and going to a local shop is the preferred way of getting it. But as my sister-in-law pointed out, sometimes you want your coffee served with a smile and not with surly indifference, so I don't feel too alone in going to a global chain to get my caffeine fix once in a while.

But this isn't about coffee, it's about chocolate milk. I didn't know the level of vitriol chocolate milk can evoke in some people until I read on another parenting blog about the evils of chocolate milk. I know chocolate milk isn't a health food, but what American kid doesn't get through childhood without having had it? My guess is not many.

School districts from Washington, D.C. to Berkeley, California are banning it. Celebrity chefs are speaking out against it. When you note the sugar and calorie content compared to regular milk, I can see why. I don't want to get into the merits or even the possible downside of banning chocolate milk in schools. With childhood obesity such a serious public health concern, I'm sure the debate will rage on.

Here's what I do know. My child doesn't drink chocolate milk everyday or even every other day.  It truly is a treat for him. I've already discussed what it means for our bodies when we eat too many treats. I think the best thing is for parents to lead by example. We try to cook nutritious meals at home as much as possible. We don't buy soft drinks and limit juice consumption. We get some form of physical activity every day and talk about the importance of exercise.

I know there will be a time very soon when I won't be able to control every bit of food and drink my son consumes. I just hope his early years will inform his later years. I admit that as a kid in elementary school, I drank a lot of chocolate milk. As a teenager, I remember plenty of slumber parties and outings with friends that involved fast food or junk food. But that wasn't not all I ate. So using information I've learned about nutrition, I try to make the best food choices for me and my family.

Now if only I could quit my afternoon coffee! I'm still a work in progress.