Americans Swap Milk For Cheese In Diet Shift

Since 1970, the American diet has undergone a dramatic transformation, with dairy consumption shifting sharply away from fluid milk and toward cheese. Per capita milk consumption fell from 269 pounds to 134 pounds, while cheese intake more than tripled, rising from 11 pounds to 39 pounds per person. Despite the drop in drinking milk, overall dairy consumption increased as processors redirected production toward higher-value cheese products. The dairy industry benefited from changing consumer habits and food trends. According to USDA data, growing demand for pizza, Tex-Mex dishes, Italian cuisine and pre-shredded cheese helped fuel the surge in cheese consumption. Italian-style cheeses alone rose from 2.1 pounds per person in 1970 to nearly 15 pounds by 2012. Yogurt posted the fastest growth of any dairy category, climbing 1,627% to 14.3 pounds per person, driven largely by the Greek yogurt boom. The broader U.S. diet also shifted significantly in protein consumption. Chicken ...