February 5, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed recent guidelines for college breakfasts and lunches that would scale back the quantity of sodium and sugar.
The aim of the rules is to adapt school meals to national dietary standards and thus help reduce obesity and other diseases amongst children. The suggestions could also be commented on before they arrive into force as law and could possibly be revised.
The sugar proposal consists of two phases specializing in products and general weekly limits.
Starting in fall 2025, added sugars would need to be reduced in class meals similar to breakfast cereals, flavored milk (e.g. chocolate milk), grain-based desserts and yogurt. For example, flavored milk can be allowed to contain not more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8 ounces, and breakfast cereals can be allowed to contain not more than 6 grams of added sugar per ounce.
Overall, the proportion of added sugar in class meals must be lower than 10% of the calories per meal by 2027.
Sodium reduction can be introduced progressively. The salt content of faculty breakfasts would have to be reduced by 10% in 2025 and by an additional 10% in 2027. The sodium content of lunches would have to be reduced by 10% in 2025, 2027 and 2029.
The USDA is looking for feedback on two options for flavored milk: limiting it to grades 9-12 or allowing it for all grades of milk. Both options would limit added sugar.
Another focus of the USDA is increasing whole grain consumption. The department is looking for feedback on a proposal that will require 80% of grains per week to be whole grain and one other that will allow non-whole grain enriched grain products, similar to white flour tortillas, to be served at some point per week.
The School Nutrition AssociationThe industry association said school meals were already healthy and that the brand new rules would place a burden on school systems.
“Research shows that current nutrition standards provide students with the healthiest meals possible at school,” said SNA President Lori Adkins. “As schools across the country grapple with ongoing supply chain, workforce and financial challenges, school meal programs are struggling to successfully maintain current standards and need support, not additional, unrealistic demands.”