Organic Horizon Milk

Hi!

I was concerened about the growth hormones in most milk, so I beggared myself for awhile doing organic. Then, I heard that organic isn't that much better than places like Oberwies or Deans. Deans does not use growth hormones, and is way more affordable! That's the only milk I give my kids now. Hope this helps!

horizon and the store brands are terrible companies is the main problem. Organic Valley is a great company and cost a tad bit more ( .50) and is a MUCH better company!

I found the article regarding Horizon Milk production not holding up to true organic standards. You can read it here: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Legislation/Horizon-dair...

The Cornucopia Institute (the one's in the article bringing charges against Horizon and also Aurora Dairies) has put out an organic milk scorecard. Check it out and see how your local brand fairs: http://cornucopia.org/dairysurvey/index.html

Due to the concerns of buying expensive Organic milk for my family, I had been purchasing our store's brand name organic milk (Publix). I love the company and also love many of their products, but with a little research, I found out that Aurora Dairy is the one that provides a lot of independent brands with their milk... i.e. store brands. I found out Publix Organic Milk rated a 2 on the above scorecard, where the more expensive brands were a 3 or 4. Now, I just minimize my use of milk in general and go for the expensive and reliable brands....usually Stoneyfield Farms or Organic Valley. We also use organic Almond and Rice milk.

Hope the info helps. Keep researching!!

I buy Horizon Organic milk most of the time for my daughter. I buy the whole milk with the DHA. Ther reason I buy it is for the DHA because my daughter won't eat any fish and I think it is important.

For it to be certified organic it has to follow the rules set by the government, so I do believe that it is truly organic as far as the US government is concerned. The article posted below is from 2006. I hadn't read it until today, but I would search out more recent information before I change my choice, since the article is quite old and it seems to me that the organization that was making the claims has a history of making claims that it can't prove.

I don't know about the hormones, however I do know that all milk produced by cows contains hormones as part of the normal biology of reproduction and lactation. There is no such thing as hormone-free milk. I think what other brands advertise is that no synthetic hormones are in the milk. I am pretty sure that Horizon states this on their packanging, but I will definitely double-check this. Again, I don't really know much about the hormone argument.

I wish you luck in your decision. My advice would be not to stress too much about it. Choosing organic

Update:
Excuse me for sounding ignorant but I'm not sure what Elizabeth is talking about regarding keeping hormones out of the milk? If they are not injecting any hormones into the cow in the first place so why would they need to keep it hormone free? I just checked the carton of Horizon in my fridge and it says that there is no added hormones. If hormones are naturally excreted in the milk then wouldn't there hormones in raw organic milk too?

I don't know for sure that Horizon milk is the best, but I've been giving it to my children for 4 years now and they love it! The expiration date is always a month and a half out and it's usually in stock at my local grocery store. Most other brands for me are hit or miss. An alternative for me is going to the whole food store and buying local raw organic milk. It's cheaper than Horizon and according to several books I've read it is far better for you than pasturized milk. It just expires faster!
In regards to Titterbee's response the foodnavigator webpage is dated from 2006. A lot can change in 4 years and the report was only alligations! I'm not saying that there was no truth in the alligations but we may never know for sure if Horizon is not doing the best for their cows, however the same goes for other farmers I guess. Unless we are there to see it for ourselves we will just have to trust the FDA :(
Organic is best, so whichever brand you choose don't worry you're still providing a great service to your children!

"Really" organic or not...just taste it compared to regular milk- it's a world of difference! Fortunately for us, we have a dairy about 10 minutes away (in a city of over 100,000 people!) so we are able to buy raw whole milk. This milk isn't pasteurized, so it requires special care, but it tastes delicious and is about 1/3 cream, so it is perfect for my string bean toddler. I drink Horizon
skim milk for myself.
You may try your grocer's brand of organic milk- it probably comes from many of the same producers as Horizon's milk.

COSTCO!! They have their own brand of milk, Kirkland. Organic. They only have 1% but if you give your kids other dairy I think it is ok....I love it. 3 half gallons are about $9.00

mine drink the organic horizon milk for 4 years now.

I use Organic Valley, Coconut and almond milk for my family, worth the money.

We use Oberweis and it is great

My son loves the cold storage Organic Horizon Milk and can actually tell the difference in taste from other cheaper brands. Of course, he drinks twice as much of the twice as expensive stuff. ;-)
S.

mine drink walmart milk.

I've often wondered how horizon milk can just sit out on the shelf.

We use Stonyfield Farms or Organic Valley organic milk. We use about a gallon every two weeks, so its not a huge expense to us to spend $6/gallon. We buy milk at Trader Joes or the local coop too, and its about the same price.

I am giving Organic Horizon milk, but I would like to hear also from other moms which milk is best

I tried goats' milk out on my 4 year old and he likes it better that regular milk. For breakfast we usually have some kind of porridge (thick cut oatmeal, rice farina, wheat farina, or one of the 'Bob's red mill' gluten free hot cereals) so there is not a lot of milk consumption at our house.

If we make Muesli with greek yogurt, I'll either thin it out with almond milk or the goats milk. Children don't need cows milk. The goats milk is much easier for humans to digest, and you get oodles more absorbable calcium from spinach than milk can provide. Try putting a cup of frozen spinach into a hot pot of rice farina with some sea salt to taste, It cools the hot cereal down so the youngsters dont burn their tongue. It's quite tasty and really fills you up without making you feel too full.

We still drink milk on occasion, but know that there are more healthful options available when trying to meet the calcium requirements of our family.

they legally can not label it organic unless it meets very specific requirements.

Horizon is not keeping hormones out of the milk, to me that is a sham. We used Organic Valley primarily. I don't trust Trader Joe's completely to not have hormones but have not asked. Best of all is local, *raw organic milk you can get. Pasturized, whether organic or not is still unhealthy and most of nutrients are lost.
Liz