New child nutrition meal pattern further promotes healthy, plant-friendly K-12 menus
Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a final rule updating nutrition standards for child nutrition programs, including school lunches and breakfast.
Friends of the Earth, along with dozens of other organizations and thousands of students, parents, school food professionals, and other stakeholders, is working to improve healthy, plant-friendly menus and plant availability. advocated changes in children’s nutritional eating patterns that would promote improvements in children’s nutrition. Culturally appropriate meal options based on. Plant-based menus that feature plant-based foods without animal products and plant proteins along with some animal products are important to aligning the delivery intentions of school lunch programs. all We offer a variety of healthy, fiber-rich options for kids.
Some of these changes were incorporated into the final rule.
- Establish stricter limits on sodium and added sugars
- Increase flexibility for school districts to offer beans, peas, and lentils as part of their appetizers, contributing to diversification of core protein sources.
- Recognizing nuts and seeds as components of a complete meat/meat replacement diet
- Make bean dips like hummus available as smart snacks
- More flexible provision to serve traditional indigenous foods
- Make it easy to purchase local ingredients
“Healthy, plant-friendly school menus are a huge win for nutrition, student choice, equity and inclusion, climate and conservation,” he said. Chloe Waterman, Friends of the Earth Senior Program Manager. “Our children expect schools to provide meals that are tailored to their needs as they grow. Cultural, ethnic, religious, health, and philosophical needs and preferences. Plant-based meal options ensure that students: need Eating plant-based foods helps students stay hungry at school by: prefer Choose and eat plant-based options.
“We are asking the Department of Agriculture to provide guidance, technical assistance, and financial support to school districts that take advantage of these improved dietary patterns to expand healthy, plant-based, and culturally appropriate food options. We urge you to support state agencies.”
However, the Department of Agriculture missed an important opportunity to fully align with the United States. Dietary guidelines for Americans Improve student health by continuing to allow flavored milk, the largest source of added sugar, in school lunch programs.
In addition to promoting restrictions on flavored milk, Friends of the Earth and Friends of the Earth members Healthy Future Students and Earth Coalition This is especially important for students of color, who have higher rates of lactose intolerance.
In the final rule, USDA acknowledged that the law constrains USDA in addressing these barriers, but further clarified current law for schools to follow. Must If the student has a disability (lactose intolerance is considered a disability), provide an alternative to liquid milk. May If there is no disability, we will provide a liquid milk substitute upon written request from the parent or guardian. USDA said it will consider providing guidance and best practices to schools and state agencies to simplify the process for students to access non-dairy milk options within legal limits.
USDA will have more opportunities to promote fair and inclusive plant-forward dietary patterns through technical assistance and guidance to supplement these regulatory changes. Friends of the Earth and members of Healthy Future Students and the Earth Coalition urge USDA to:
- Encourage school districts to offer daily plant-based options other than nut butter sandwiches through guidance consistent with Congressional directives included in the FY 2022 Farm Appropriations Bill, and provide technical assistance and funding within current authorities.
- Encourages school districts to provide non-dairy milk upon written request from a parent or guardian, and provides state agencies and school districts with guidance, best practices, and templates for both disabled and non-disabled alternatives. Provide request form
- Allow legume-based pasta to be credited as a meat substitute, regardless of whether it is served with a visually recognizable meat/meat substitute
- Make not only tofu and soy products, but also beans, peas and lentils acceptable as meat substitutes in certain circumstances, even if they are not visually recognizable.
Students for a Healthy Future and the Earth Alliance will continue to Healthy Future Students and Earth Lawa bill introduced by Rep. Velasquez and Rep. Bowman would support school districts in expanding and marketing plant-based options and would create new legislation to remove barriers for students to culturally appropriate non-dairy milk options. It establishes a voluntary subsidy program.
Submitted by Friends of the Earth Detailed comments Learn more about the Climate-Smart School Lunch Program and the resources we provide at foe.org/projects/school-food-purchasing/.
Contact: Shaye Skiff, Friends of the Earth; [email protected]
