USDA Announces Finalized Nutrition Guidelines To Reduce Sugar, Salt In School Meals

Posted on April 25, 2024

The New York Times (4/24) reports, “School meals will soon contain less salt and sugar, but can still include chocolate milk, under new nutrition guidelines released by the Biden administration.” The USDA “announced on Wednesday that it had finalized the regulation it had first proposed in February 2023, having weakened several provisions after feedback from food companies, school nutrition professionals and over 136,000 public comments.” The new rules “seek to better align school meals with federal dietary standards and build on a 2010 law that aimed to make cafeteria breakfasts and lunches healthier.”

The AP (4/24) reports, “By the fall of 2027, added sugars in school meals would be limited to no more than 10% of the total calories per week for breakfasts and lunches, in addition to limits on sugar in specific products.” Additionally, “the agency will reduce sodium levels allowed in breakfasts by 10% and in lunches by 15% by the 2027-2028 school year.”

AAP News: AAP applauds new standards reducing sugar in school meals for the first time