How the New Dietary Guidelines Could Impact School Meals

New federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans could eventually reshape school meals, but changes will be gradual and complex. Because USDA nutrition standards are tied to these guidelines, schools may face pressure to reduce highly processed foods, increase scratch cooking, and serve more protein-rich meals. However, many districts lack kitchen infrastructure, trained staff, and funding to make rapid shifts.

Protein requirements—particularly at breakfast—could raise costs, while recent policy changes allow schools to serve whole milk without exceeding saturated fat limits. Importantly, any updates will move through a lengthy regulatory process, including public comment and phased implementation, before affecting cafeteria menus nationwide. Read more from NPR here.