New School Nutrition Standards Proposed

One month ago, the current administration signed the "Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010", which is designed to improve the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.  As part of this new law, the USDA was given the authority to set nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools during the day.  However, at the time it was not known when the new nutritional standards would be set.  Yesterday was the first big step in that direction.  Yesterday, the USDA published a proposed rule to update the nutritional standards of the meals served in these school programs.  While you can download and read the full proposal (Docket ID: FNS-2007-0038 at regulations.gov), I have outlined some of the major recommendations below:

Breakfast Calorie Recommendations:

• Grades K - 5 = 350 - 500 calories
• Grades 6 - 8 = 400 - 550 calories
• Grades 9 - 12 = 450 - 600 calories

Lunch Calorie Recommendations: 

• Grades K - 5 = 550 - 650 calories
• Grades 6 - 8 = 600 - 700 calories
• Grades 9 - 12 = 750 - 850 calories

Breakfast Foods:

• Fruit - 1 cup per day (up from 1/2 cup)
• Grains & Meat/Meat Alternatives - 1.4 - 2 grains per day plus 1 - 2 meat/meat alternatives per day  (up from 1 each per day)
• Whole Grains - At least half of grains consumed should be whole grains
• Milk - 1 cup with fat content to be less than 1% (previously had no fat content recommendation)

Lunch Foods:

• Fruit - 3/4 to 1 cup of vegetables plus 1/2 to 1 cup of fruit per day (up from 1/2 to 1 cup of fruits and vegetables combined)
• Vegetables - recommend a weekly requirement for dark green and orange vegetables and legumes, while limiting starchy vegetables (no recommendation previously)
• Meat/Meat Alternatives - 1.6 to 2.4 ounces daily average over 5 days (down from 1.5 to 3 ounces)
• Grains - 1.8 to 2.6 ounces per day on average
• Whole grains - at least to half to be whole grains
• Milk - 1 cup with fat content to be less than 1%

Other Changes:

• Decrease saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories
• Decrease sodium to below 1,500 mg per day over a 10 year period.
• Foods used in school nutrition programs must have zero trans fat
• Offer versus Serve Program - At breakfast, students would be allowed to decline one food item, but MUST choose 1 fruit or vegetable item.  At lunch, students would be allowed to decline 2 food items, but MUST choose 1 fruit or vegetable item.  This program would be required at the high school level, but optional for schools at the elementary and middle school levels.

These proposed recommendations appear to make an overall improvement in the nutritional profile of the foods offered at all school levels.  These changes are clearly designed to increase our kids' consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while reducing their saturated fat and sodium intake.  As part of this, schools will no longer be allowed to offer whole milk or reduced-fat (2%) milk. These changes place the school breakfast and lunch programs more in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and consistent with the daily recommended intakes suggested by the Institute of Medicine.  At the moment this is still only a PROPOSED rule.  As such, it is open to public comment for the next 90 days.  So if you have any comments or suggestions on these new recommendations, now is the time to voice your opinion.


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