Comments requested on proposed changes to afterschool and summer meal nutrition standards

UPDATE 4/6/23: The deadline for comments has been extended from April 10, 2023 to May 10, 2023.

Last month the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed new nutrition standards for school meals provided through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. These proposed changes will also impact afterschool meals and snacks and could impact summer meals. The proposed nutrition rule reflects long-term nutrition standards for National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and NSLP Afterschool Snacks which are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025. Written comments on the proposed rule should be received on or before April 10, 2023, and can be submitted here.

Provisions in the proposed rule that could impact the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP,) which includes afterschool meals, and/or the Summer Food Service Food Program (SFSP) include the following (see USDA’s website for a detailed account of these proposed changes.):

Added Sugars

Proposes changing product-based limits for breakfast cereals and yogurts from total sugars to added sugars

Flavored Milk

No changes are proposed for milk standards in CACFP or SFSP; however, USDA is seeking public input on allowing unflavored milks only for children in grades K-8 or K-5, as applicable, in CACFP, if Alternative A is finalized with restrictions on flavored milk for grades K-8 or K-5 in NSLP and SBP.

For NSLP and SBP two alternative options for milk are proposed, with a proposed product-based added sugars limit for flavored milk served as part of school meals:

Fluid Milk Substitutes (e.g. soy or almond milks)

While no changes are proposed to the current fluid milk substitute process, USDA requests public input on the following question:

• What feedback do stakeholders have about the current fluid milk substitute process?

USDA is especially interested in feedback from parents and guardians and program operators with firsthand experience requesting and processing a fluid milk substitute request.

Whole Grains

Proposes to add a definition of “whole grain-rich” to CACFP regulations.

• Whole grain-rich is the term designated by FNS to indicate that the grain content of a product is between 50 and 100 percent whole grain with any remaining grains being enriched.

Menu Planning Options for American Indian and Alaska Native Students

Proposes to allow institutions, facilities, or sponsors serving primarily American Indian or Alaska Native children to substitute vegetables for grains or bread. The institution, facility, or sponsor would be required to maintain documentation demonstrating that the site qualifies for this menu planning option. USDA requests public input on additional menu planning options that would improve the Child Nutrition Programs for American Indian and Alaska Native children

Nuts and Seeds

Proposes to allow nuts and seeds to credit for the full meat/meat alternate (or protein source) component in all child nutrition programs and meals, including CACFP and SFSP.

Geographic Preference Expansion

Proposes to expand geographic preference options by allowing locally grown, raised, or caught as procurement specifications for unprocessed or minimally processed food items in the child nutrition programs.

NSLP Afterschool Snacks

NSLP Afterschool Snacks: aligning standards with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) snack standards and establishing fruits and vegetables as two separate components

The majority of the proposed rule focuses on nutrition standards for meals served during the school day. Below is a summary for some of the changes included in this proposed rule specific to meals served during the school day:

• Added sugars: Starting with product-based limits for grain-based desserts, breakfast cereals, yogurts, and flavored milks in school year (SY) 2025–26; then establishing overall average weekly limits to less than 10 percent of calories beginning SY 2027–28
• Milk: Establishing grade levels for flavored milk
• Whole grains: Requiring all grains to meet the whole grain-rich requirement with the exception that enriched grain products may be offered one day per week
• Sodium: Gradually reducing sodium limits for both breakfast and lunch over several school years

Written comments on the proposed rule should be received on or before April 10, 2023, and can be submitted on the Regulations.gov website.