USDA’s New School Meal Proposal Keeps Low-Fat Flavored Milk on the Menu

 If passed, the new standards would limit both sugar and sodium intake while increasing whole grain consumption. For dairy specifically, the USDA plans to keep low-fat flavored milk as an option for the nearly 30 million students who consume school lunches each day.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) both applauded the USDA’s proposed updates.

“Children having access to the healthful foods they need to grow and focus in school is a key priority for dairy farmers,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF President and CEO. “Milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18, and 1% flavored milk is a nutrient-dense, low-fat option students will actually choose to drink.”

While NMPF is “pleased with USDA’s move, they aren’t fully sold on the rollout.

“Providing low-fat flavored milk will increase students’ intake of nutrients vital for their growth and development. We question why USDA would propose school meal options that could limit a child’s access to these nutrients and we urge instead that they expand access to dairy options,” Mulhern said.

Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO, agreed with Mulhern on all counts:

“The most recent Dietary Guidelines report is clear: children are not receiving enough essential nutrients for growth, development, healthy immune function, and overall wellness,” Dykes says. “While we are pleased that this proposed rule continues to make dairy central to child nutrition, we are concerned with USDA’s ongoing efforts to propose limitations to milk and dairy in school meals, which run counter to the Dietary Guidelines and the mandate of America’s parents.”

Comments on the proposed standards can submitted from Feb. 7, 2023, through April 10, 2023. For a full description on the proposed provisions, click here.