What is the purpose of the Healthy School Meals Act? Will it require schools to serve plant-based school lunches?
• The Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870, will help schools to offer healthful plant-based vegetarian options if they choose to do so, but it does not requires schools to serve particular foods. The act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a pilot program (modeled after its successful whole grains pilot) to determine what healthful plant-based protein products children like and are easy to prepare for school breakfasts and lunches. Based on the findings of this pilot, the USDA is directed to then add such products (like vegetable burgers or soy chicken nuggets) to the commodities list, thus reducing significantly their cost. (Currently, schools have to purchase these products at market rates, unlike other products on the commodities list.) • In addition to making healthful foods more affordable, the legislation provides an incentive of additional financial assistance for those school districts that choose to offer a majority of students a healthful plant-based
Related Questions
- Do the nutrient-based standards require secondary schools to serve only two-course set meals, or can they still provide individual items (e.g. sandwiches)??
- What programs in the No Child Left Behind Act require equitable participation by private school students and teachers?
- Who supports the Healthy School Meals Act?
