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USDA Could Roll Back School Lunch Nutrition Standards

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Friday, January 31, 2020   

INDIANAPOLIS - School cafeterias around Indiana, and in other states, could be serving up fewer fruits and vegetables in the future if a proposal by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is approved.

The agency is considering rolling back school nutrition standards put into place in 2012. Emily Weikert Bryant - executive director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry - says that could result in school meals with fewer fresh fruits and grains, and a smaller variety of vegetables.

"The proposed rule would weaken nutrition standards and eliminate the guarantee that all kids receive a balanced and healthy school meal, regardless of the school setting that they're in," says Bryant. "And it would diminish the nutritional value of the other foods sold in the cafeteria. We want for school meals to be consistent with dietary guidelines."

The USDA contends that "plate waste," or the food that ends up in cafeteria trash cans, is guiding the rule change.

An agency study last year found the equivalent of 21% of available calories in the National School Lunch Program were wasted. However, it noted that the healthier nutrition standards didn't seem to increase plate waste.

About 1.1 million Hoosier students participate in the National School Lunch Program, and Bryant says 47% of them receive free or reduced-priced meals.

"School meals are such an important piece to hunger relief, and making sure that kids are being well fed and being able to prosper and be healthy," says Bryant. "And so, we're always concerned when there's any look at messing with those programs that would have a negative impact on the students who utilize them."

Nutrition standards for whole grains, nonfat milk and sodium - intended to make school meals healthier - were already rolled back by the USDA in 2018. And Bryant is concerned about the future of other child nutrition programs.

"It's frustrating that this is coming about at the same time that Congress is looking at the current re-authorization of the child nutrition program," says Bryant. "The previous one is the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, and we're looking at how do we make positive changes moving forward, when this would have a negative effect on those programs."

The public comment period on the rule change is open until March 23.



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