(The Center Square) – Changes in nutrition standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will reduce the amount of sugar and give you more flexibility in menu planning.
Like many people who are faced with unwanted vegetables, my sincere appreciation for the recipes in the nutrition department is not 100%. That includes the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.
Rep. Virginia Foxx, RN.C., said that instead of respecting the decades of work of school nutritionists and other local professionals, “Gulf bureaucrats” are “going against the quality of nutrition that students deserve. “I want to push forward with regulations,” he said. “The proof is in the pudding,” she says. “But if you asked the Department of Defense, they would want to regulate it so it doesn’t exist either.”
Secretary Tom Vilsack’s announcement said the department instead “listened carefully to public input” and considered the latest “science-based recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” . This publication is the result of the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, led by Navy veteran Dr. Paul Reed.
Taxpayers will help. USDA provided up to $150,000 each to 264 small and rural school districts to help meet the new standards. The phase-in period will continue until 2027.
The new rules include limits on added sugars. Sugar restriction of flavored milk. Reduced sodium content. Support for vegetarian diets and other food preferences, such as breakfast foods such as yogurt, tofu, eggs, nuts, and seeds.
The USDA said that starting this fall, schools “will have the option to require raw produce to be grown, raised, or harvested locally” for their meal programs. There will be limits on the percentage of food that is grown or produced other than domestically, which the Biden administration says will strengthen the role of American farmers, producers, fishermen and ranchers.
What hasn’t changed is the emphasis on fruits and vegetables. Whole grains. Local school dietitians can help with choices and allow the community to provide the meals students want to eat. Prioritize cultural and faith-based food preferences.
“The new standards build on the great strides school lunches have made and address remaining challenges, such as reducing sugar in school breakfasts,” said Cindy Long, Food and Nutrition Administrator. ”. These updates will give schools easier access to locally sourced products, benefiting both schools and the local economy. ”
