President Trump signed a bill that brings whole milk and 2% milk back to schools. Obama-era rules banned whole milk, instead requiring nonfat and low-fat options.
“This is the first bill signing of the new year, and it will ensure that millions of school-aged children have access to high-quality milk as we make America healthy again,” President Trump said on Wednesday. “As it stands, schools participating in the National School Lunch Program are only able to offer students low or nonfat milk options.”
“With this legislation, schools will finally be able to expand their offerings to include nutritious whole milk,” Trump added.
Under the “Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act,” the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act is amended to “allow schools that participate in the school lunch program to serve whole milk,” the legislation says. Schools “may offer students options which may include flavored and unflavored organic or nonorganic whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free fluid milk and lactose-free fluid milk, and nondairy beverages that are nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk and meet the nutritional standards established by the Secretary.”
The bill signing comes as the Trump administration unveiled new dietary guidelines that will affect the foods served and encouraged across the nation. The guidelines encourage the consumption of full-fat dairy. “When consuming dairy, include full-fat dairy with no added sugars. Dairy is an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals,” the report says.
“These Guidelines return us to the basics,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said of the dietary guidelines. “American households must prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods—protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains—and dramatically reduce highly processed foods. This is how we Make America Healthy Again.”
