USDA updates rules for school meals that limit added sugars for the first time
THOSE DETAILS AS WELL. LUNCHABLES. THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS. THEY’RE POPULAR PREPACKAGED LUNCH LUNCH KITS THAT KIDS ENJOY, AND THEY’RE EVEN SERVED AT SOME SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS. BUT A NEW INVESTIGATION FROM CONSUMER REPORTS COULD HAVE PARENTS ASKING SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM. KCRA 3’S EDIE LAMBERT GIVES US A LOOK AT THE SAFETY AND NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF LUNCHABLES. SCHOOL DAY MORNINGS ARE BUSY IN MANY HOMES, SO THOSE PREPACKAGED LUNCH KITS CALLED LUNCHABLES CAN QUICKLY ANSWER THE DAILY WHAT’S FOR LUNCH QUESTION. BUT THAT CONVENIENCE MAY COME AT A COST. LUNCHABLES AND SIMILAR KINDS OF LUNCH KITS ARE SIMPLY NOT HEALTHY FOR KIDS. OUR TEST OF THESE KITS, FOUND CONCERNING SODIUM LEVELS AND HARMFUL CHEMICALS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS OVER TIME. CONSUMER REPORTS TESTED 12 STORE BOUGHT LUNCH AND SNACK KITS AND FOUND CONCERNING LEVELS OF LEAD, CADMIUM OR BOTH IN ALL THE KIDS, EVEN IN SMALL AMOUNTS. THE EFFECTS OF THESE HEAVY METALS ARE CUMULATIVE AND THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN. KRAFT HEINZ, THE PARENT COMPANY OF LUNCHABLES, OSCAR MAYER AND P THREE, TOLD KR, QUOTE, ALL OUR FOODS MEET STRICT SAFETY STANDARDS AND SAID THAT LEAD AND CADMIUM OCCUR NATURALLY IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND MAY BE PRESENT IN LOW LEVELS IN FOOD PRODUCTS. SMITHFIELD FOODS, WHICH MAKES ARMOR LUNCH MAKERS, SAID IT ADHERES TO, QUOTE, STRICT PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT PROMOTE FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY IN EVERY STEP OF OUR VALUE CHAIN. TARGET, WHICH MAKES GOOD AND GATHER PRODUCTS, DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT. THE SODIUM LEVELS IN THESE KITS ARE ALSO QUITE HIGH, RANGING FROM. 460 TO 740MG. THAT IS NEARLY A QUARTER TO HALF OF A CHILD’S DAILY RECOMMENDED LIMIT, AND THE VERSIONS FOUND IN SOME SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM STORES HAD EVEN HIGHER SODIUM LEVELS. KIDS WITH HIGH SODIUM INTAKES ARE ABOUT 40% MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP HYPERTENSION THAN THOSE WITH LOW SODIUM DIETS, SMITHFIELD FOODS SAID, QUOTE, SODA IS A KEY INGREDIENT IN MANY OF OUR PRODUCTS AND HELPS US MEET CUSTOMER AND CONSUMER DEMANDS FOR QUALITY, AUTHENTICITY, FLAVOR, AND CONVENIENCE. KRAFT HEINZ AND MAPLE LEAF FOODS SAID THEY ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO REDUCE SODIUM. SO WHAT CAN BUSY PARENTS DO TO HELP KIDS MAKE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES? CR RECOMMENDS LOOKING OVER THE SCHOOL LUNCH MENU AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH WEEK TO FIND NUTRITIOUS ITEMS YOUR KIDS LIKE TO EAT, OR CONSIDER PACKING A LUNCH WITH HEALTHY WHOLE GRAINS, PROTEINS, FRUITS, AND VEGETABLES AT HOME. EDIE LAMBERT KCRA THREE NEWS AND CR ALSO RECOMMENDS ENCOURAGING YOUR KIDS TO DRINK WATER OR PLAIN MILK AT LUNCH AS SUGAR AND
USDA updates rules for school meals that limit added sugars for the first time
The nation’s school meals will get a makeover under new nutrition standards that limit added sugars for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. The final rule also trims sodium in kids’ meals, although not by the 30% first proposed in 2023. And it continues to allow flavored milks — such as chocolate milk — with less sugar, rather than adopting an option that would have offered only unflavored milk to the youngest kids.Related video above: Consumer Reports Investigation asks “How unhealthy are Lunchables?”The aim is to improve nutrition and align with U.S. dietary guidelines in the program that provides breakfasts to more than 15 million students and lunches to nearly 30 million students every day at a cost of about $22.6 billion per year.”All of this is designed to ensure that students have quality meals and that we meet parents’ expectations,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters. The limits on added sugars would be required in the 2025-2026 school year, starting with high-sugar foods such as cereal, yogurt and flavored milk. By the fall of 2027, added sugars in school meals would be limited to no more than 10% of the total calories per week for breakfasts and lunches, in addition to limits on sugar in specific products.Officials had proposed to reduce sodium in school meals by as much as 30% over the next several years. But after receiving mixed public comments and a directive from Congress included in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill approved in March, the agency will reduce sodium levels allowed in breakfasts by 10% and in lunches by 15% by the 2027-2028 school year.
The nation’s school meals will get a makeover under new nutrition standards that limit added sugars for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday.
The final rule also trims sodium in kids’ meals, although not by the 30% first proposed in 2023. And it continues to allow flavored milks — such as chocolate milk — with less sugar, rather than adopting an option that would have offered only unflavored milk to the youngest kids.
Related video above: Consumer Reports Investigation asks “How unhealthy are Lunchables?”
The aim is to improve nutrition and align with U.S. dietary guidelines in the program that provides breakfasts to more than 15 million students and lunches to nearly 30 million students every day at a cost of about $22.6 billion per year.
“All of this is designed to ensure that students have quality meals and that we meet parents’ expectations,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters.
The limits on added sugars would be required in the 2025-2026 school year, starting with high-sugar foods such as cereal, yogurt and flavored milk. By the fall of 2027, added sugars in school meals would be limited to no more than 10% of the total calories per week for breakfasts and lunches, in addition to limits on sugar in specific products.
Officials had proposed to reduce sodium in school meals by as much as 30% over the next several years. But after receiving mixed public comments and a directive from Congress included in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill approved in March, the agency will reduce sodium levels allowed in breakfasts by 10% and in lunches by 15% by the 2027-2028 school year.
