In February, when Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson began telling the world how he has been drinking chocolate milk his “whole life,” he was sharing his love for the beverage as an official spokesperson for “Built by Chocolate Milk,” a dairy industry campaign. Thompson and the Warriors went on to win the NBA championship, so maybe drinking chocolate milk — which some athletes use as a recovery drink — helped them Hulk-smash the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But when kids in the Warriors’ future hometown of San Francisco start school in August, the chocolate milk that Thompson says gives him so much energy will no longer be on the menu. Thanks to worries over the sugar content of the beverage, the San Francisco Unified School District announced last week that it’s axing it from cafeterias.
[quote position="left" is_quote="true"]Kids should eat no more than six teaspoons per day of added sugar.[/quote]
“Chocolate milk has more sugar than regular milk,” Matt Haney, the board of education commissioner, told the San Francisco Examiner. “We know that many children and teens consume many times the recommended intake of sugar.” Haney said he understands that “some people have fond memories of drinking chocolate milk at school and maybe feel like this was not a good use of our time.” But the district’s concern about students’ sugar intake doesn’t stem from tech-bro disruptors.
A carton of the chocolate milk served in San Francisco’s schools contains about 10 grams, or two teaspoons’ worth, of sugar. That might not seem like much, but new guidelines released last year by the American Heart Association suggest that children eat no more than six teaspoons per day of added sugar.
“Added sugars contribute to a diet that is energy dense but nutrient poor and increase risk of developing obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity-related cancers, and dental caries,” wrote the AHA. Overall, the health organization estimates that kids “2 to 19 years of age consume an average of 80 g added sugar daily.” That’s nearly 20 teaspoons’ worth of the sweet stuff, so it makes sense that the district is doing its part to cut consumption.
San Francisco isn’t the first large district in the U.S. to drop flavored milk. In 2011, the Los Angeles Unified School District became the largest school district in the nation to ban the beverage. But the district found that kids in Los Angeles tend to chuck plain milk in the trash. That finding is backed by data included in a 2014 report by public interest lawyer Michele Simon about the influence that the dairy industry has on the nation’s schools, which showed milk sales are higher when chocolate milk is sold in cafeterias. According to the report, about 70% of milk sold on campus is flavored, and schools are about 8% of the dairy industry’s total sales. So if chocolate milk is dropped, the industry loses money.
But Los Angeles’ school board said that it was concerned about the waste generated by milk being trashed and that students weren’t getting the nutritional benefits of the beverage. So last year, it gave the green light to a pilot project at 21 campuses to show whether kids drink more milk at lunch. Meanwhile, San Francisco Unified tested its chocolate-milk-free menu at five schools during the past school year and found that kids readily switched to plain milk when the flavored option was unavailable.
Only time will tell if kids across San Francisco will do what their peers in L.A. did and stop drinking the beverage completely. Perhaps the district should ask hometown hero Klay Thompson if he’ll promote the plain version too.
Say goodbye or make amends.Image via Canva - Photo by Inna Postnikova
Friends recording on a camcorder.Image via Canva - Photo by capturenow
This is an AI-generated image using the language "A beautiful woman with long eyelashes and red lips surrounded by swirls of colorful makeup." AI/Canva/Elyssa Goodman 
Wiman hiding her face behind a bunch of cashCanva
A mansion and its reflection in the swimming poolCanva
Salzburg at nightCanva
Fancy homeCanva
Happy volunteersCanva
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.