Overview
- The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act restores whole and 2% milk to National School Lunch Program menus alongside skim and low-fat options serving roughly 30 million students.
- USDA has begun implementation guidance, with many districts expecting rollout as early as the next school year depending on supply chains and budgets.
- The law aligns with the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines and excludes milk fat from the school-meal cap that limits saturated fat to under 10% of calories.
- Schools may continue approved non-dairy alternatives such as fortified soy drinks, and parents can now authorize these options with a note rather than a doctor’s note.
- Supporters cite observational research linking whole milk to lower childhood obesity risk, though causation remains unproven, and officials still must address flavored milk in light of added-sugar guidance.