There’s no escaping the growing emphasis on health and wellness among American adults. And food manufacturers and retailers are responding by creating healthier products, and packaging those products so that the health benefits are in the forefront of consumers’ minds. We first reported on this trend in the April 2005 issue.

As obesity persists among children, parents feel increased pressure to pack healthy lunch alternatives. The introduction of flavored milk in single-serve, paperboard cartons, now located in what most consumers refer to as the “juice box aisle,” makes the job a bit easier.

Grocery retailer Kroger recently turned to Tetra Pak to package its line of shelf-stable milk products designed to encourage kids to get their two to three recommended daily servings of milk. Disney Magic Selections Milk is available in three different flavors—regular, chocolate and strawberry—and brings fun characters from popular Disney shows including Pirates of the Caribbean, Cars and the recently launched Ratatouille.

The new milk cartons are available only at the Kroger family of stores and retail for $3.29 per eight-pack in the juice box aisle. Shelf-stable milk cartons do not require refrigeration for storage, which saves energy and space. All that’s required for consumption is a few hours of chilling before service. The Disney Magic Selections milk cartons hold four ounces of one percent, low fat real milk with added vitamins A and D.