Massive Changes Coming To Texas School Lunches, Here’s What We Know…

Millions of kids eat lunch at school every day, but it looks like Texas students will start noticing a massive change during their lunchtime pretty soon. Here's what we know...

I know when I was in school, every day I would wake up and see what was on the menu for lunch at school that day. My favorite lunch day was NO DOUBT when the cafeteria was serving pizza, you know the one I'm talking about...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed several modifications to the nutrition requirements for school lunches on Wednesday, one of which is a first in history.

Here are some of the changes...

1. Added sugars will now be limited in meals

The new rule will take effect on July 1, 2025, and will limit the amount of added sugars in breakfast cereals served in schools to no more than 6 grams per dry ounce, 2 grams per ounce for yogurt, and 10 grams per 8 fluid ounces for flavored milk.

Furthermore, according to the USDA, a second regulation that will come into force on July 1, 2027, mandates that the amount of added sugar in school lunch and breakfast programs must not exceed 10% of total calories during the week.

Before this, schools were just required to supply the necessary number of calories, without any restrictions on how much more sugar might be added to meals to meet calorie requirements.

2. Sodium is being gradually reduced in school meals

The USDA states that starting July 1, 2027, school lunches will have 15% less sodium than they currently have, while breakfast foods will have 10% less sodium.

The USDA stated that to give manufacturers, schools, and the general public time to adjust, it is keeping the current sodium levels in place for the next three years.

3. Chocolate milk will still be served but with limits

Flavored milk supplied at schools will need comply with to the new added sugar limits as of July 1, 2025.

According to the USDA, flavored milk sold individually in middle and high schools must have no more than 15 grams of added sugar per 12 fluid ounces, while flavored milk served to K–12 students at breakfast and lunch must have no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8 fluid ounces.

You can read more from the USDA by CLICKING HERE.