Kemps, a St. Paul, Minn.-based subsidiary of Dairy Farmers of America, said it is teaming up with Milwaukee-based Roundy's Supermarkets Inc. to remind consumers of its daily value this holiday season.

A few years back, my family physician recommended that I be tested for bone mineral density and start taking a calcium supplement. I explained that I got my calcium from dairy and had great bones.

People are living longer, but their golden years are often marked by physical and mental decline. It is estimated that as many as 90% of seniors are deficient in Vitamin D, a critical nutrient for aging bodies and brains. Physicians frequently prescribe a vitamin D supplement, but fortified dairy foods contain a readily absorbable source of this nutrient, plus an overall nutrient package that may be more beneficial to bone, cardiovascular and cognitive health than a pill.

The dairy industry needs to fortify more foods with this vitamin, and promote its inclusion. Otherwise, other food categories or supplements will emerge as the preferred delivery vehicle for this important nutrient.

Milk has nine essential nutrients, but not everyone knows that. It's time to bust the myths associated with milk, including the one saying whole milk is the only milk containing vitamin D.

Ever since I can remember I have been challenged with swallowing pills. When I was a little girl, my mom would dissolve the orange-flavored baby aspirin in a spoon of water for me to swallow. Thank goodness Flintstones vitamins were chewable. When I got older, my doctor encouraged me to take the same approach as one does with their pets, and that is to hide the tablet or capsule in a piece of cheese or some bread. Let’s just say it’s pretty challenging to trick oneself.

Cost-saving ingredients help processors stay afloat during struggling economic times, while value-added ingredients, which increase production costs, create a point of differentiation in a competitive marketplace.