blogTO
Milk is more than just a beverage – it's a universal symbol of care that's been a part of everyone's daily life since, well, forever! Whether it's at the heart of a comforting dish made by a beloved relative, served warm while winding down before bed, or showing up in unexpected ways, milk appears in big and small meaningful moments to nourish connection and care across generations. Milk has been inviting Ontarians on @ontariodairy's Instagram and Facebook to join them in celebrating the special memories and everyday moments of care that milk has been a part of. So, blogTO took to the streets to chat to Toronto residents about the cherished, caring milk memories. Here's what they had to say! Growing up with milk Unsurprisingly, milk has played a significant role in the childhood of many respondents, who associate the beverage with feeling cared for and a sense of nostalgia, while still enjoying milk in their daily lives. I Lawal (blogTO) "My mom worked; she was a teacher, growing up, we had to get ready for school very quickly, so cereal with milk was part of a tradition," explained I Lawal. Lawal still enjoys morning cereal with milk today, as a way to tap into childhood memories before doing the daily tasks required of adulthood. Meanwhile, Jordan Alton's family included a glass of milk with "nearly every meal." For him, the old adage would prove true. "My grandma said drinking milk would make us grow taller, and now I'm over six feet tall, so I’m pretty happy with that," he said. Connections to culture Milk has a way of showing up across many different cultures. For Nghi Nguyen, that means enjoying her iced coffee with milk – condensed milk, that is! "I'm Vietnamese, so I drink a lot of Vietnamese iced coffee. My grandma, back in Vietnam, had a coffee shop, and we used a lot of condensed milk. That's my daily morning ritual – an unholy amount of condensed milk in my coffee." Nghi Nguyen For Jessica Calderon, it's an ingredient that brings her family together around a traditional cultural dish. "My dad's from El Salvador, where we make pupusas, and one of the main ingredients is cheese, so that dairy there connects us. We try to make it weekly at our house, so it's really important for us." Her grandma taught her the recipe, and she hopes to one day pass the recipe down to the next generation. Moments of comfort Milk is practically synonymous with care, so it's no surprise that many fond milk memories were about providing comfort and nourishment in difficult times. "Growing up... every time I was up late studying, my dad would make me a hot cup of milk with more condensed milk in it," recalled Nguyen. "It was his way of being like, 'you're doing great, keep going.' It was always a really nice thing, so whenever I’m not feeling well... it helps my soul to drink that." Jordan Alton For Alton, cookies served alongside a glass of cold milk were the cure for getting through frightening thunderstorms. "When I was a little kid, my grandma used to bake cookies for us when we were sad, or it was raining out – my brother and I used to be scared of the thunder – so she would bake us cookies and brighten up our night." Everyone feels compelled to care, but sometimes it can be hard to know how. These interviews just go to show that sometimes the simplest things – like a glass of milk – can be the most meaningful. Check out the full video below to see how milk shows up in a wide variety of caring moments. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CULTR Toronto (@cultrtoronto)
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