The best classic chocolate milk — and the ickiest

Comparing a childhood taste memory to the food itself is often disappointing, but not when it comes to a tall glass of chocolate milk. Creamy, liquid chocolate is just as deliciously sweet as an adult — and so worth the indulgence.

Powdered mixes do a fine job of transforming plain milk into a chocolate gulp, but a carton of premixed chocolate milk made with top-notch chocolate is a welcome luxury for kids of all ages. For some, it’s dessert in a glass. For others, it’s a great incentive to down a glass of milk.

Chocolate milks come in a range of flavors and styles, including low fat, full fat and lactose-free. Some are made with just chocolate, sugar and milk, but many include a host of ingredients to enhance texture, flavor and stability. Not surprisingly, the best chocolate milks are those with short lists of ingredients.

Made right, chocolate milk is velvety smooth, minimally sweet and tastes like melted chocolate stirred into fresh milk. Sadly, disappointing chocolate milk abounds. Far too much sugar and a mere trace of chocolate are the most common problems. Even worse are those laced with artificial flavors and so many additives that they taste like anything but chocolate.

Here are details on the most luxurious chocolate milks — and the sugary, nearly chocolate-free disasters. Nutrition info refers to one cup.

Straus Organic Chocolate Milk

Dreamy rich chocolate with a hit of vanilla makes this chocolate milk a perfect treat. Made with whole milk, it’s everything a glass of chocolate milk should be. 230 calories, 10 g fat, 120 mg sodium, 16 g sugar, 16 g protein. $ 4.99 for a quart at Whole Foods plus a $2 bottle deposit. ★★★★