Got an idea for a holiday? Send it to us

Submit Now

373 Shares
373 Shares
SatJun 1

World Milk Day – June 1, 2024

From a cool glass of milk, hot butter being spread seamlessly across toast, or a heaping bowl of ice cream, World Milk Day on celebrates it all! The day was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to celebrate the dairy industry and recognize milk as a globally important food. World Milk Day seeks to start a conversation on how nutritious, affordable, and accessible milk is around the globe — not to mention delicious!

History of World Milk Day

Today, we attempt to answer the age-old question: what was the first guy to drink milk thinking? While his thoughts may be lost to the ether of time, we do have some knowledge about how milk came to be a popular and stable source of nutrition for early humans. Though humans began to drink milk when animals were domesticated in the Neolithic age around 9000–7000 B.C., lactose tolerance was lost in adults for all of humanity’s history before this age. Until a later genetic mutation allowed us to drink milk, early humans mostly ate fermented dairy products, which were more easily digestible.

Milk became important in many cultures, both for spiritual and logical reasons. For example, for ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Sumerians, milk was a key element in mythology. Some people in Western Africa believed the universe started with a single drop of milk. Mongolians traveled with dried horse milk that would be reconstituted and provide nourishment on long journeys. 

As much as milk was worshipped, it was also ridiculed. While early Japanese Buddhists mocked those who consumed butter, Northern Europeans were thought disgusting for consuming reindeer milk. In Rome, milk was thought to be a low-class beverage, only to be consumed by farmers who had no other choice.

The next chapter in the history of milk comes with industrialization. While most countries and cultures had adopted milk, many places just weren’t close enough to farms with milk to enjoy it. Enter railways. Suddenly, urban demand for milk in places like London and Paris skyrocketed. Rural imports transformed milk into a big-time market. Throughout the 1800s, there was much innovation around milk, from breweries opening dairies to feed their spent grains to cows, to vaccines being invented by watching how milkmaids avoided smallpox.

Milk has clearly had a huge impact on our society, but the demand and production of it have shifted dramatically in recent years. In 2016, milk was overproduced in several countries and many, including China, put a stop to any milk imports. In recent years, many dairies have filed for bankruptcy, as trends are shifting towards alternative, non-dairy milk. Due to COVID-19, dairy farmers have been dumping millions of gallons of milk per day. Who knows what will happen to dairy next!

World Milk Day timeline

9000 - 7000 B.C.
The First Milk

After mammals are domesticated in Neolithic times, humans begin to drink milk for sustenance.

1300 A.D.
Dried Milk

Mongolians pack dried horse milk into a paste that can be reconstituted with water for long journeys.

1600s
Ice Cream Invented

Humanity finds a way to improve on a nice cool glass of milk in the 1600s with the invention of ice cream.

1840
Milk Becomes Accessible

Railways allow the transportation of milk from rural farming areas to cities in England.

2016
A Gluttony of Milk

Russia, China, Canada, the EU, and more become self-sufficient with milk production and stop importing milk.

World Milk Day FAQs

Where is World Milk Day celebrated?

Globally! Around 80 countries celebrated the holiday in 2018.

What is the theme of World Milk Day 2019 in India?

The theme for World Milk Day in India in 2019 was ‘Drink Milk: Today & Every Day.’

When was World Milk Day initiated?

World Milk Day was initiated in 2001 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

How to Observe World Milk Day

  1. Make homemade ice cream

    What better way to celebrate milk products than making one of the best dairy products by hand! Homemade ice cream doesn’t require too many materials or tools, and can be fun to whip up, especially with friends and family!

  2. Enjoy a glass of milk

    Ah, the most simple, classic, and refreshing way to participate in World Milk Day. Since we’re appreciating the food anyway, let’s get back to basics. Pour out a creamy glass of milk and enjoy the day.

  3. Use #WorldMilkDay or #EnjoyDairy

    The official hashtags for World Milk Day are great methods to join the conversation on dairy over social media. Check out the website for World Milk Day to see all the social media campaigns you can join in on!

5 Fun Facts About Milk

  1. Daily, a cow will produce over six gallons of milk

    Holy cow! Every day, a cow can produce around 6.3 gallons of milk — this adds up to 350,000 glasses of milk in a lifetime.

  2. Americans consume a lot of milk

    In a typical year, the average American will drink 25 gallons of milk per year.

  3. Salt it up!

    To keep milk fresh for just a little longer, a great trick is to add a little salt — the right ratio is one pinch of salt per quart of milk.

  4. No shortage of dairy

    Yearly, around 1,000 new dairy products are added to the market!

  5. The milkman first came around in 1942

    As part of a milk conservation measure during World War 2, home delivery of milk began in 1942.

Why World Milk Day is Important

  1. Milk nourishes people globally

    While not every country and culture drinks milk, the vast majority enjoy dairy and many have made it a key element of their cuisine. Some of the countries where milk is most popular include Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden, while milk is not a widespread beverage in North Korea or Liberia.

  2. It’s delicious!

    Who doesn’t love the first sip of a chilly glass of milk, the first spoonful of ice cream, or the warm embrace of a cup of hot cocoa? Milk has been transformed into a plethora of our most well-loved foods for a good reason — dairy is delicious.

  3. Milk is very nutritious

    Milk that’s 2% or less is chock-full of nutrients! We know your mom has always said milk helps your bones grow, but milk actually carries many more benefits than that. It’s packed with calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, which are routinely under-consumed nutrients.

World Milk Day dates

YearDateDay
2024June 1Saturday
2025June 1Sunday
2026June 1Monday
2027June 1Tuesday
2028June 1Thursday
International Clothesline Week
National CPR and AED Awareness Week
National Fishing and Boating Week
RSPCA Week
Step Parents Week
Volunteers' Week
Dare Day
Dinosaur Day
Don't Give up the Ship Day
Flip A Coin Day
Gawai Dayak
Global Day of Parents
Intergenerational Day
International Children's Day
International Tabletop Day
Madaraka Day
National Barefoot Day
National Billboard Day
National Black Bear Day
National Bubbly Day
National Hazelnut Cake Day
National Heimlich Maneuver Day
National Nail Polish Day
National Olive Day
National Pen Pal Day
National Prairie Day
National Roman Day
National Skincare Education Day
National Trails Day
New Year's Resolution Recommitment Day
Oscar the Grouch Day
Samoa Independence Day
Say Something Nice Day
Stand For Children Day
Statehood Day in Kentucky
Statehood Day in Tennessee
The Big Lunch
Wear a Dress Day
World Milk Day
World Narcissistic Abuse Awareness Day
World Outlander Day
World Reef Awareness Day
African American Appreciation Month
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome Awareness Month
Aphasia Awareness Month
Audiobook Month
Beautiful in Your Skin Month
Black Lives Matter Month
Black Music Month
Cancer from the Sun Month
Caribbean-American Heritage Month
Cataract Awareness Month
Celibacy Awareness Month
Child Vision Awareness Month
Children's Awareness Month
CMV Awareness Month
Cucumber Month
Effective Communications Month
Entrepreneurs "Do it Yourself" Marketing Month
Fight the Filthy Fly Month
Fireworks Eye Safety Month
Fireworks Safety Month
Georgia Blueberry Month
Great Outdoors Month
Infertility Awareness Month
International Surf Music Month
Lane Courtesy Month
Mango Month
Men's Health Month
Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
National Accordion Awareness Month
National Adopt A Cat Month
National Camping Month
National Candy Month
National Country Cooking Month
National Dairy Month
National DJ Month
National Foster a Pet Month
National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month
National Frozen Yogurt Month
National Give a Bunch of Balloons Month
National Homeownership Month
National Iced Tea Month
National Lemon Month
National Microchipping Month
National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
National Oceans Month
National Osteoporosis Month
National Pet Preparedness Month
National Pollinator Month
National PTSD Awareness Month
National Rivers Month
National Rose Month
National Safety Month
National Scoliosis Awareness Month
National Soul Food Month
National Steakhouse Month
National Zoo and Aquarium Month
Oral Health Month
Perennial Gardening Month
Pharmacists Declare War on Alcoholism Month
Pluot & Aprium Month
Potty Training Awareness Month
Pride Month
Pride Month
Professional Wellness Month
Rebuild Your Life Month
Scleroderma Awareness Month
Skyscraper Month
Social Petworking Month
Sports America Kids Month
Turkey Lovers Month
Vision Research Month
We Advocate Time Consciousness and Honesty
Women’s Golf Month

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!
Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.