Well, President Donald Trump just signed one. This legislation brings back whole milk as an option for our nation’s school cafeterias, repealing a 2012 decision by the Obama administration. This newly passed legislation gives schools participating in the National School Lunch Program the flexibility to provide whole milk. Before, they were limited to just skim and low-fat varieties in an effort to combat childhood obesity.
The lost policy focused on lowering the fat content in school meals, promoting a culture of healthier food consumption among students. The law reintroduces nutrient-dense whole milk to the fold, an important provision for schools and childcare centers. This reversal may increase children’s milk consumption, especially among children who have rejected lower-fat offerings.
In addition to calcium, milk is a major source of vitamin A, vitamin D, and potassium. However, it has more saturated fat and extra calories than other milk varieties. This has alarmed health advocates who worry that such move will worsen children’s diets.
Dr. Nate Wood, an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, has voiced his apprehensions about the saturated fat content in whole milk. He noted that low-fat and nonfat milk “has been our go-to recommendation for adults and many children for quite some time.” Dr. Wood emphasized the importance of avoiding sweetened and flavored milks, stating, “Importantly, sweetened and flavored milks are not going to be health-promoting options because of the added sugars.” He went on to argue that these options shouldn’t be served in schools, fat content aside.
Maya Feller, a registered dietitian working with Wellness in the Schools, applauds the moment as the return of whole milk. She thinks it needs to be matched with a wider range of whole food choices on school menus. “It’s good for children to have options, and for many, this may increase the likelihood that they will drink milk, which is a nutrient-dense option,” she stated. The nutrients in whole milk are the same as lactose-free, low-fat, and fat-free options, Feller pointed out.
Even the new federal dietary guidelines finally acknowledged that there are positive impacts from full-fat dairy consumption. Allowing whole milk back in school cafeterias could be one nutrient-dense option that helps schools meet these recommendations. Hundreds of thousands of children depend on school meals to provide most or even all of their daily nutritional needs. That’s why it’s so important that schools continue to offer delicious, healthy foods.
Schools, too, are getting ready to make this change. With good reason, they’re tasked with producing a nutritious, healthful menu containing far more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and whole milk than before. This is the right approach to take if we want to see whole milk back on the menu. It accomplishes this in a manner that encourages all dietary health.
