• Dame Jacinda Ardern sparked debate by questioning Nestlé’s recommendation of six teaspoons of Milo per mug.
• Kiwis shared mixed reactions, with some finding the amount excessive and others agreeing with it.
• Nestlé’s Milo serving suggestions vary, with some tins recommending three heaped teaspoons instead.

How much Milo is considered too much?

Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern may have unintentionally triggered a nationwide debate when she expressed her surprise at the amount of Milo Nestlé recommends using on social media this morning.

Nestlé told the Herald Ardern “does not have the ‘classic NZ taste’ Milo and perhaps may have picked up some Milo while travelling.”

Capturing the back of a Milo tin, which recommended six teaspoons in a mug with 200ml of hot water or milk, Ardern said even her own family was divided over Nestlé‘s suggested serving.

“I grew up being told I could only make a Milo with one or two teaspoons of powder. I picked up a can recently though, and apparently you can make it with six?!” Ardern wrote.

“Is that an extreme Milo to liquid ratio?! Or is that the way it’s always been?”

Ardern’s morning Milo musing stirred up a big response online. Some Kiwis were baffled by the six-spoon figure, while others found it fell in line with their own generous serving style.

“Two heaped tablespoons with warm milk! That is the only way. Lol,” one Kiwi wrote.

“We must have the same parents because I would have been scolded if I had used six spoons at once,” another said.

“Geez that would have been the Milo of dreams ... would never have happened in my house in the 70s and 80s,” a third wrote.

Others seemed to find the recommendation matched their Milo standards, although they noted the perfect ratio often came down to who was watching.

“Milo has always been made with as many spoons as you could sneak into it (Mum always made it with one),” one person said.

“You had as many teaspoons that your mum told you, not how many spoons Milo told you,” replied another.

A pantry staple for generations of Kiwis, Milo has long been a popular drink for warming up after a cold day or fuelling kids before school.

Nestlé’s six-spoon recommendation is one version of its recipe for a “perfect cup” of Milo, but instructions vary on packaging.

A spokesperson for Nestlé Oceania said their Milo recipe is “specially formulated for Kiwis” and “indeed recommends using three teaspoons of Milo”.

“As a global brand, Milo is produced in various countries, and recipes can vary to suit local tastes. While all recipes feature the delicious choc-malt taste fans love, preparation methods may differ,” the spokesperson said.

“It seems that Ms Ardern does not have the ‘classic NZ taste’ Milo and perhaps may have picked up some Milo while traveling.”