Jamba Juice Co. with nutrition guidance from the National Dairy Council has announced a new fruit and dairy beverage for K-12 schools. The healthy smoothie combines the nutrient-rich benefits of fat-free milk with real fruit. The beverage will be unveiled this week at the School Nutrition Association conference in Denver.

School nutrition professionals, the USDA and parent/teacher groups have been working to improve the nutrition in school meals, but also have wrestled with cost considerations and finding options kids will actually consume.

“This is an important step in the right direction,” said Kathleen Zelman, a nutrition and food, author and member of the Jamba Healthy Living Council. “This project moves us closer towards the goal of providing schools with nutritious food and beverage solutions at a reasonable cost per-serving.”