Milking the Kids Dollar

We recently started buying Dairy Farmers' Kids milk for Austin. Being "natural brain food" and providing "75% of daily Omega-3", we figured it was worth the extra dollar or so on a two-litre bottle.

That was until this morning.

Having used the last of the adult milk on my first coffee of the day, I was left no choice but to borrow some from the lad for cup number two. As is my habit, this went into the microwave to heat up while the coffee was brewing. With cup in hand, I then parked myself on the couch to watch a breakfast TV item about how women are putting their careers on hold in favour of domestic duties.

Before I could say 'Hello! Am I not proof that this is not a gender thing?', I was distracted by the strange taste of what I was drinking. At first I thought it was just a little weak. Then I tasted fish.

But it couldn't be, could it?

Having drunk half a cup, I only wish it could not.

Any doubt disappeared with the making of Austin's breakfast, today's being banana porridge. When it came out of the microwave, much hotter than my coffee milk, there was no mistaking the odour - particularly when your running circuit takes you past the fish market three or four times a week.

No hint of it when cold but unmistakable when hot. I bet those Dairy Farmers thought they were super clever.

Super honest too.

Looking at the label it was there for all to see. At number two on the list of ingredients (after milk, thankfully) is Omega-3 DHA Oil, otherwise known as fish oil.

We figured this stuff would be an easy way to compliment Austin's fish intake, not add to it. Brain food it may be, but some things just aren't meant to go together.

I guess you can't blame Dairy Farmers for chasing the kids dollar. Innovation in the face of recession really should be applauded.

But did it not occur to them that this stuff is more often than not going to be heated up?

The banana seemed to mask it in the end, and I'm sure enough Milo would too, but once you've caught a whiff of fish milk you can never go there again.

And, let's face it, in a land that's girt by sea, why should any of us?