WASHINGTON — Schoolchildren would have to hold the fries — and pick up more whole grains, fruits and vegetables — on the lunch line under proposed new federal standards for school lunches.
The Agriculture Department proposal applies to lunches subsidized by the federal government and would be the first major nutritional overhaul of school meals in 15 years. It is expected to be announced today.
The guidelines, which were obtained by The Associated Press and confirmed by USDA, would require schools to cut sodium in those meals by more than half, use more whole grains and serve low-fat milk. They also would limit kids to one cup of starchy vegetables a week, so schools couldn’t offer french fries every day.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the new standards could affect more than 32 million children and are crucial because kids can consume as much as half of their daily calories in school.
While many schools are improving meals already, others are still serving children meals high in fat, salt and calories. The new guidelines are based on 2009 recommendations by the Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences.
The announcement comes just a few weeks after President Barack Obama signed into law a child-nutrition bill that will help schools pay for the healthier foods.
The announcement is a proposal, and it could be several years before schools are required to make changes.
