US Department of Agriculture Proposes New School Nutrition Standards

On February 7, 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture opened commentary on its proposal for new school nutrition standards. The organization has updated the criteria based on its most recent dietary guidelines and will accept critique through April 10, 2023.

The first change proposed by the USDA relates to added sugars. Currently, there are no national standards on added sugars in school lunches, contributing to pediatric populations' overconsumption of added sugars in the US. According to the CDC, the average daily intake of added sugar for people between 2 and 19 in the US is 17 tablespoons.

The new ruling would recommend that schools begin by limiting products with a lot of added sugars, such as grain-based desserts, breakfast cereals, and flavored milk. These phase one recommendations would go into effect by the 2025–2026 school year. The second phase, beginning with the 2027–2028 school year, will limit the number of calories from added sugars in each meal.

Adding to the sugar guidelines, schools will have updated regulations for flavored milk, which may include one of the following options: limiting the added sugars in flavored milk and only allowing flavored milk to be sold at the high school level.

The CDC notes that eating added sugar can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Minimizing intake may help the US curb the rising rates of these diseases through preventative measures.

Another goal of these recommendations is to reduce the sodium intake in each meal by 10% in the 2025–2026, 2027–2028, and 2029–2030 school years. This gradual reduction would result in a sodium intake under 1,000 mg per lunch for all school-age children. An estimated 90% of Americans over two years old consume excessive sodium. Minimizing sodium intake is beneficial for lowering blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke risk.

Guidelines for whole grain foods are likely to stay the same. Of the two options proposed, the USDA is considering maintaining the current standard, which requires that 80% of all grains served to be whole grains. Alternatively, schools could opt for one day to serve non-whole-grain enriched grains.

The USDA also proposed that schools offer culturally appropriate foods when serving American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. Other recommendations include limiting imported foods and encouraging food contracts with local suppliers.