National Milk Producers Federation

USDA's Final School Meal Standards

 

On January 25, 2012, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service published updated nutrition standards for meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.

The updated standards increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk in school meals.

Milk continues to be an important part of school meals, and 8 ounces of fluid milk must be offered with breakfast and lunch. Schools must offer at least two different milk options, however, the new standards allow only for low-fat (1 percent) or fat-free plain milk or fat-free flavored milk in the school meal programs.

NMPF President and CEO Jerry Kozak said including both plain and flavored milk in school meals is a sure-fire way to make diets more nutritious. “Milk, including chocolate milk, is the No. 1 source of three out of four nutrients cited by the U.S Dietary guidelines as lacking in children’s diets, and chocolate milk is the drink-of-choice in school meal lines." Read the full NMPF press release.

The standards are available online. 

NMPF Submits Comments on Approaches to Reducing Sodium Consumption

 

On January 27, 2012, in response to a request from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), NMPF submitted comments on approaches to reduce sodium consumption. 

 

NMPF submitted comments which included:

• The benefits of multiple interventions (including weight loss, physical activity, and diet) in reducing hypertension, rather than reduction of sodium consumption alone.
• The multiple roles of sodium in cheese manufacture, the challenges (technical/labeling) in reducing sodium in cheese.
• The voluntary and proactive efforts of the dairy industry to reduce sodium in cheese.

Read NMPF's full comments online.

 

NMPF Resources

• Role of Dairy Products in the Diet:
  • NMPF Comments on the US Dietary Guidelines
  • Flavored Milk and Nutrition
  • Federal Meal and Snack Programs
• Sodium Reduction Initiatives

External Resources

• Current Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• USDA's Dietary Guidelines Icon "MyPlate"
• Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk
• Fuel Up To Play 60 (also the Newsweek In-School Guidebook "How to Build a Healthy Kid")
• Institute of Medicine Reports:
  • Leveraging Food Technology for Obesity Prevention and Reduction Effort (Workshop Summary)
  • Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States
  • Examination of Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols
  • Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D