Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 – Summary **What the Bill Does:** This law changes which types of milk schools can serve through the National School Lunch Program. Previously, schools were limited to offering fat-free or low-fat milk to align with federal dietary guidelines. The new law allows schools to offer whole milk, reduced-fat milk, low-fat milk, and fat-free milk—all in flavored or unflavored varieties. Schools can choose to serve organic or regular milk. **Who It Affects:** The law primarily impacts students participating in the National School Lunch Program, which serves millions of school children nationwide.
It also affects school administrators and food service staff who manage meal options. Additionally, the law makes it easier for students with dietary restrictions to get milk substitutes—parents can now request them with a written statement from a physician, whereas previously only a licensed physician's statement was accepted. **Current Status:** This bill has been signed into law and is now in effect. It represents a shift in federal nutrition policy for school meals, giving schools more flexibility in the types of milk they offer rather than requiring them to follow the specific fat-content guidelines in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
CRS Official Summary
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA).Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. The milk that is offered may be organic or nonorganic.Further, schools currently must provide a substitute for fluid milk, on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician, for students whose disability restricts their diet. Under the bill, a parent or legal guardian may also provide the written statement.In addition, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories. Under the bill, fluid milk is excluded from the saturated fat content calculation; milk fat included in any fluid milk provided by the program must not be considered saturated fat for the purposes of measuring compliance with USDA regulations.
Latest Action
Became Public Law No: 119-69.