Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced this week that their agencies are launching an effort to strengthen school meals. The effort, called Harvest to Hallways, links farmers to school cafeterias and food procurement.
“If we want to Make America Healthy Again, we have to start with our children, and that means improving what we put on their lunch trays every single day,” said Rollins. “Harvest to Hallways is about bringing more American agriculture into the school cafeteria. We are connecting schools with the farmers and ranchers in their own communities, investing in the kitchens and equipment school nutrition professionals need to prepare real food, and cutting through barriers that have made it too difficult to serve healthy, American-grown food. When we strengthen the connection between the farm and the lunchroom, everybody wins: our children eat better, our farmers gain new markets, and our communities grow stronger.”
Kennedy similarly said the shift reflects updated dietary guidelines, as the Trump administration is putting the guidelines into action by “bringing real, nutrient-dense food back to school cafeterias and giving schools the tools to serve it affordably.”
As part of the initiative, the officials will encourage states to adopt the Pledge for Healthier School Meals and invest and nutrition research.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration unveiled new dietary guidelines that will affect the foods served across the nation. Under the new structure, protein is to be prioritized at every meal, full-fat dairy is encouraged, vegetables and fruits are to be consumed throughout the day, and healthy fats from meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados are to be incorporated.
