Ovaltine powdered drink mix has been around for more than a hundred years. I remember stirring the malt-flavored powder into milk when I was a child. I preferred the chocolate milk powders, but my mother insisted that Ovaltine was better for me because it had lots of vitamins.
Apparently Ovaltine has always be considered a health drink. A 1926 advertisement emphasized how it could improve sleep quality:
Taken at night, a cupful of Ovaltine brings sound, restful sleep, quickly and naturally.
The word-heavy advertisement was aimed at women and contained testimonials. It included persuasive text and highlighted how Ovaltine would improve the lives of women who used it:
When you go to bed do your nerves stay up? Leaving you dragged out on the morrow –your morning logy, your energies drained by afternoon?
Modern science has found a natural way (a way without drugs) to overcome this; a way to restful sleep that quickly restores your tired mind and body.
Morning finds you a new woman. You are fresh, clear-eyed, buoyant. Youthful in looks and spirit. And, you have the energy to carry you right through the day and the evening’s social activities.
Source: Ladies Home Journal (July, 1926)
I don’t think I’ve ever had Ovaltine, but when I come across the brand name, I always think of the film “A Christmas Story.” Ralphie got his first lesson in marketing when he decoded a secret message and it was “Drink your Ovaltine.”
I never heard of Ovaltine as a sleep aid. I’ll have to try some.
I’ve heard that warm milk is supposed to help us sleep. Ovaltine in milk may also help. If you try it, I’d love to hear if it works.
I’ll definitely let you know!
I’m going to have to watch that film!
I found the Ovaltine clip online. The entire film is a complete hoot, especially for those of us who grew up in the 1950s.
What a fun clip! Thanks for finding it.
I see it mentions women’s “nerves”. An old excuse for everything and for women not getting the medical attention they need. I have run into that excuse in my lifetime instead of doctors looking for the real medical issue.
I hope (but maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part) that doctors are wiser now and do a better job of finding the cause of medical issues than they once did.
Mom loved Ovaltine and she always had it in the house, I loved it too, but my brothers preferred regular chocolate. I don’t remember her ever saying anything about health benefits. Probably by then they gave up on that sales pitch.
Companies come up with so many different sales pitches trying to sell their products. It’s hard to tell whether the Ovaltine claims had any scientific basis. Back then, I don’t think that there was much regulation of the advertising industry.
I think, sugar aside, there are some redeeming qualities in the form of minerals.
You’re right – it does contain vitamins and minerals.
I drink a glass of it, either chocolate or plain malt, most every morning.
I haven’t had any Ovaltine in years. I’m going to have to look for it at the store.
I was brought up on Ovaltine, and the advert on Radio Luxembourg https://www.google.com/search?q=we+are+the+Ovaltinies+littl+girls+and+boys&rlz=1C1GCEA_enGB1131GB1131&oq=we+are+the+Ovaltinies+littl+girls+and+boys&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCjExMzcyajBqMTWoAgiwAgHxBUPpHTLmZf0S&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.rb&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e675d0ca,vid:JUOEffsknDU,st:0
I see from the comment above that it still exists, though I haven’t seen it in years.
I can’t seem to make the link work. I’m not sure if this is what you found, but I did an online search and found this: Ovaltineys
Well done you! Annoyingly, the sound wouldn’t work, however hard I tried, but it MUST be the song.
Oh dear, I just discovered that I also can’t make the sound work. I previously had just looked at the text.
Hopeless, aren’t we?
🙂
I think I tried Ovaltine once and thought it highly overrated.
I tend to agree. I didn’t think it was nearly as tasty as my mother seemed to think it was.
I would do anything for a buoyant day! I recall having this as a child.
The older I get the fewer buoyant days I seem to have. 🙂
Interesting post, Sheryl. Ovaltine was historically considered to be a “health drink,” (a bit like Ensure) because it was so high calorie. It was part of the kit for the first successful summit of Mountain Everest because of that. It’s amazing that it’s still around. I remember drinking it as a treat when I was a child but I haven’t had it now in decades.
It’s amazing that Ovaltine was included in the kit of the first mountaineers to successfully summit Mount Everest. You might find it interesting that they also ate Grape Nuts cereal when going to the summit. A year or so ago, I did a post on Mock Nut Bread (Grape Nuts Bread) and when researching it discovered that it had been taken on the Mount Everest climb, so mentioned it in my post.
Thanks very much for your link, Sheryl. I didn’t know that Grape Nuts went back so far!
It’s definitely an old-time cereal. Some of the other cereals that have been around for more than a hundred years include Shredded Wheat, Puffed Rice, and Corn Flakes.
Thanks, Sheryl.
Ovaltine tried its best, but chocolate milk always won the recess royale for me!!!!!
🙂 Chocolate milk was also the winner for me.