The Biden administration announced new rules Wednesday that will limit the sugar and sodium content of meals served to millions of children in U.S. public schools.
The standards released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture are part of President Joe Biden’s broader effort to combat childhood obesity and other diet-related diseases.
“We all share the goal of helping children reach their full potential,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in announcing the new standards.
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For the first time, the plan would require schools nationwide to limit the amount of added sugar and slightly reduce sodium content in their meals by 2027, according to the USDA.
It also aims to make it easier for schools to offer protein-rich vegetarian options and encourage school districts to purchase locally grown or raised food.
Starting in 2025, the standard will also impose limits on the percentage of food grown or raised outside the United States, a move aimed at supporting U.S. farmers, according to the USDA.
Students eat lunch on their first day of school at Wilder Elementary School on August 11, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced new rules for meals served in public schools on April 24, 2024. (Reuters/Amira Karaud/File photo)
“The new standards build on the great strides school lunches have made and address remaining challenges,” said Cindy Long, USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator.
According to the USDA, approximately 30 million children are served breakfast and lunch each day in U.S. public schools.
Some school nutrition directors have warned that stricter dietary guidelines could force schools to scale back menus and inadvertently force students to make less-than-healthy food choices.
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They also point out that rising food prices and labor shortages could make it difficult to implement new regulations.
The debate over school nutrition spans multiple administrations.
The Obama administration raised standards, requiring schools to provide daily fruits and vegetables and more whole grains. Under the Trump administration, some of these requirements were lifted.
