KANSAS CITY — School meal and snack programs ensure students from kindergarten through 12th grade are served nourishing foods that support lifelong healthy eating patterns. In the United States, these programs rely on food and beverage manufacturers to allow them to meet the nutritional requirements set forth by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and at the same time, ensure they are affordable, simple to serve and delicious to eat. This is no easy feat, especially with nutritional requirements evolving and many unknowns still out there.
"Every day, school meal programs are juggling financial, staffing and equipment challenges while trying to meet strict federal nutrition standards and the taste preferences of their students," said Diane Pratt-Heavner, spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association (SNA). "In addition to following whole grain requirements, they must also meet limits on calories, sodium and now added sugar."
Since July 2025, US schools have had to adhere to limits on added sugars in cereal, milk and yogurt. Starting in July 2027, they will have to ensure that less than 10% of calories in meals comes from added sugar. New sodium reductions will also take ...