Overview
- President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Jan. 14, allowing schools in the National School Lunch Program to offer whole and 2% milk alongside skim and low-fat options.
- The law reverses Obama-era rules under the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that limited higher-fat milk in cafeterias for more than a decade.
- Officials say the move aligns with the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines that recognize full-fat dairy as part of healthy patterns, though how schools handle flavored milks under no–added sugar recommendations remains undecided.
- Implementation could begin as early as this fall, with districts expected to adjust orders and supply chains and to manage higher costs since whole milk typically exceeds the price of skim.
- The statute keeps approved non-dairy choices such as fortified soy milk, lets parents request a non-dairy option without a doctor’s note, and removes milk fat from the saturated fat cap for school meals, as dairy groups and bipartisan backers celebrate.