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USDA nutrition guidelines overview:
- Who: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed major changes to school lunches.
- Why: The changes aim to make kids’ meals healthier and more nutritious, with an emphasis on reducing sugar and salt.
- Where: The changes would apply to school lunches nationwide.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed major changes to the nutrition guidelines for school lunches to make kids’ meals healthier and more nutritious, with an emphasis on reducing sugar and salt.
The proposed changes were released by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service on Feb. 3 and the plan is open for a 60-day public comment period.
According to the USDA, the changes are based on the latest nutrition science, as well as “extensive feedback” from school nutrition professionals, public health experts, industry and parents, and they would be rolled out over multiple years.
Overall, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is proposing updates to the school nutrition standards that will “give kids the right balance of nutrients for healthy and appealing meals,” the USDA said.
The USDA found one of the biggest concerns from stakeholders was the amount of added sugar in school lunches. As a result of its research, the organization is focusing on cutting back sugar and sodium in school meals.
“Our commitment to the school meal programs comes from a common goal we all share — keeping kids healthy and helping them reach their full potential,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.
“Many children aren’t getting the nutrition they need, and diet-related diseases are on the rise. Research shows school meals are the healthiest meals in a day for most kids, proving that they are an important tool for giving kids access to the nutrition they need for a bright future.”
A timeline for reducing sugar and sodium in school meals
A sample timeline for the changes has been proposed. By fall 2024, the USDA plans to offer school meal products that are primarily whole grain with the option for occasional non-whole, enriched grain products.
By fall 2025, the USDA plans to implement limits on high-sugar products like yogurts and cereal. It will allow some flavored milk, however, with reasonable limits on added sugars and hopes to reduce the weekly sodium limit for breakfast and lunch by 10%.
By fall 2027, the USDA wants to limit added sugars in schools to less than 10% of calories per week for breakfast and lunch, and to reduce the weekly sodium limit for breakfast and lunch an additional 10%.
By fall 2029, the weekly sodium limit would be reduced an additional 10% for lunch only.
The new guidelines stem from a Biden administration healthy food initiative. Under the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, President Joe Biden wants to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases by 2030, the USDA said.
“Strengthening school meals is one of the best ways we can achieve that goal,” Vilsack said.
Baby food has also been under scrutiny recently.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in late January released its draft guidance for manufacturers to reduce lead exposure in baby food after a 2021 federal report found a number of baby food makers allowed high levels of heavy metals in their products.
What do you think of the proposed nutrition guidelines changes for school meals? Let us know in the comments.
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7 thoughts onUSDA proposes updated nutrition guidelines for school lunches
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WE DID A SCIENCE EXP WITH SCHOOL SANDWI HERE AND PUT COMPONENTS IN ZIP LOCK BAGS SEPARATED MEAT CHEESE BREAD AND THEY TOOK ALL SUMMER JUST TO DECOMPOSE AND MOLD NOTHING IN THE LUNCH WAS REAL AND THEY ARE FEEDING IT TO ARE KIDS EVERYDAY DISGUSTING !
They need to do somerhing to make the food more tastier for kids.i know alot of kids including my grandkids that wont eat tge lunch because it is nasty tasting so then come home hungry cause they didnt eat lunch because of taste
Give them larger portions
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