U.S. agriculture officials on Friday proposed new nutrition standards for school meals, including the first limits on added sugars, with a focus on sweetened foods such as cereals, yogurt, flavored milk and breakfast pastries.
The plan announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack also seeks to significantly decrease sodium in the meals served to the nation’s schoolkids by 2029, while making the rules for foods made with whole grains more flexible.
The goal is to improve nutrition and align with U.S. dietary guidelines in the program that serves breakfast to more than 15 million children and lunch to nearly 30 million children every day, Vilsack said.
Join the Conversation
The latest news and headlines from Urban School Food Alliance
FSD: K-12 operators share their best practices when operating a feeding site during a disaster
Jul 16, 2025
When disaster strikes, school nutrition teams are often the ones on the frontlines feeding those in the...
Urban School Food Alliance Expands with Montgomery County Public Schools, Strengthening Nationwide Push for Healthier School Meals
Jun 10, 2025
"mcps dedication to serving nutritious, appealing meals in an inclusive setting resonates deeply with our goals."...
School Business Now: Breaking the Mold in School Food Procurement
Jun 9, 2025
Stakeholders across the school nutrition landscape struggle with today’s food procurement practices because of...
Urban School Food Alliance Transforms School Meals at Third-Annual Cooking for Healthy Kids Training
May 22, 2025
School Nutrition Professionals Gain Culinary Expertise to Elevate Student Dining Nationwide Washington D.C. – May...