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Flavored milk sold in an unhealthy glass bottle has become the new Internet holiday — and consumers are clearly divided on whether they’re living up to the hype or not.
Stew Leonard’s, a Connecticut-based staple with additional locations in New York and New Jersey, has gone viral after releasing its Christmas cookie milk.
Videos on Tiktok showed customers grabbing glass bottles straight from the frozen shelves, signing the delicious drink on camera, encouraging others to finish it as the seasonal craze grew on social media.
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The online attention has sparked thousands of responses from people eager to buy and try the drink for themselves.
“I drank the whole thing in a day,” wrote one person.
Connecticut-based grocer Stow Leonard’s is going viral after releasing its limited-edition Christmas cookie milk. (Stock)
“I’m sad this isn’t near me,” said one viewer.
Others pointed out how quickly the drink disappeared from store shelves.
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“I checked two places and both are sold out,” said a Tiktok user.
But not everyone is convinced that the holiday drink is worth the hype.
Some reviewers said the taste didn’t live up to the buzz.
Kodi Christmas CASK milk has been so popular that several nut stew shops have sold out of the product. (Stew Leonard’s)
“He wrote,” someone else said.
With Stew Leonard’s locations selling out again and again, consumers have begun hunting for alternatives — and that search has forced Target and Walmart into the middle of the crisis.
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Target’s cookie milk, which gained attention for its distinctive brown color, has drawn strong reactions online.
“The color alone makes me gag,” wrote one – while others insisted the drink works just as well as coffee creamer.
Some consumers who have gotten their hands on cookie milk add it to their morning coffee. (Stock)
Walmart’s adoption of this trend is also a fallback for being able to find the original.
One customer gave a candid review: “It tastes just like whole milk.”
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FOX News Digital has been reached out to Target and Walmart for comment.
As the debate over the taste of various substances heats up, a food expert is urging consumers to approach fermented drinks with more caution than the videos might suggest.
“Cookie milk is the way to go for the holidays.”
Cookie-flongied mils are better understood as “dessert style” than everyday dairy options, Dr. Michael Ednie, Florida-based medical director at Spoke Concierge MD, told FOX News Digital.
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“They are healthy with one meal with normal protein milk, calcium and vitamins A / D,” he said, “but [the flavored milk products have] more added sugar and calories per cup than plain milk. “
The versions sold by Stow Leonard’s, Target and Walmart are similar in terms of calories, sugar and protein content, Ednie said. Stew Leonard’s also advertises its cookie milk as free of growth hormones and antibiotics.
Target and walmart each sell cookie-flavored milk that is nutritionally similar to health food. (Stock)
“Cookie milk is a treat for the holidays,” Sarah Hollis Leclerc, Mardern Manager at Stew Leonard’s, told FOX News Digital.
“We don’t expect our consumers to switch their regular milk to cookie milk.”
For those who want to enjoy the taste without the calorie burden, Ednie offered several ways for those consumers to make a simple version at home.
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“To make cookie milk smartly, use real milk proteins / micros, and move the sweetness to channels, spices and high protein bases instead of added sugar,” he suggests.
Homemade options, he says, can be combined with skim milk or unpasteurized almond milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, non-nutritive sweeteners, whole fruit and ice to reduce calorie intake.
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When buying commercial brands, Ednie recommends looking for drinks with “seven to 10 grams of added sugar, which is an improvement over legacy brands.”
