Improvements to school meals focus on healthier options

Courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

It's back to school time again. Did you know K-12 schools serve nutritious breakfasts and lunches to nearly 30 million children each school day? For over half of these kids, these meals are their main source of nutrition, helping to improve children's health nationwide. To make these meals even more beneficial, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is gradually phasing in changes to its requirements for school meals based on public feedback and the latest science-based recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Parents getting kids back to school can feel confident their children will be off to a better start with a nutritious meal that provides energy and nutrients, helping kids concentrate and learn better so they can get the most out of the school day.

"The new nutrition standards build on the great progress school meals have made already and address remaining challenges — including reducing sugar in school meals," said Cindy Long, USDA deputy under secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. "These updates also make it easier for schools to access locally sourced products, benefiting both schools and the local economy."

Here are some changes school meals will see:

Reduction of added sugars: For the first time, added sugars will be limited in school meals nationwide starting by Fall 2025 and fully implemented by Fall 2027. The USDA responded to concerns from parents and teachers about excessive amounts of added sugars in some foods with this new limit. Research shows that added sugars are most commonly found in typical school breakfast items. Less sugar in your children's diet could lower their risk for tooth decay, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and a variety of other health conditions.

Reduction in sodium: Beginning Fall 2027, sodium will be reduced by about 10% in breakfast and about 15% in lunch. The three-year delay in implementation gives schools and the food industry more time to prepare for the new standard, which was a frequent request in public comments.

Milk options: Schools will continue offering flavored and unflavored milk, which provides essential nutrients children need such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium. There will be a new limit on added sugars in flavored milk served at breakfast and lunch by Fall 2025. Thirty-seven school milk processors — representing over 90% of the school milk volume nationwide — have already committed to providing nutritious school milk options that meet this limit on added sugars.

Supporting additional food preferences: Starting Fall 2024 it will be easier for schools to serve protein-rich foods such as yogurt, tofu, eggs, nuts and seeds, which can help reduce sugary food options while also supporting vegetarian diets and other food preferences.

Boosting local food purchases: Starting Fall 2024, schools have the option to require unprocessed agricultural products to be locally grown, raised or caught when making purchases for school meal programs, making it easier for schools to buy local foods.

The goals of school meals

Good nutrition is crucial for children's health, growth, development and educational outcomes, which are the primary goals for lunches and breakfasts served in public schools. As in previous years, school meals will continue emphasizing fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while giving kids the right balance of many nutrients for healthy, tasty meals.

School nutrition professionals are local experts in their communities, and they will continue serving meals students want to eat, while also prioritizing cultural and religious food preferences.

Learn more about school meals and how they continue to be improved to benefit children year-round at fns.usda.gov/back2school.