District #1 seeking comments on proposed USDA school lunch standards

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March 16, 2023 — Sweetwater County School District #1 seeks parents’ input concerning the new USDA proposed long-term nutrition standards for school lunch meals. The new school lunch menu standards include limits on added sugars and additional sodium reductions, as well as different whole grain requirements and flavored milk options.

According to a ParentSquare message from Angela Erramouspe, Director of Nutrition Services, Sweetwater County School District #1, “The proposed changes would burden school districts with unrealistic requirements, and in the end, will make school meals lack flavor and undesirable to students.”

District #1 parents are being asked to share concerns and comments by using the following link:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/FNS-2022-0043-0001. All comments may be submitted through April 10, 2023.  

According to the District #1 ParentSquare message received by Wyo4News, the proposed long-term standards are as follows:
 
Sodium Proposals:
USDA proposes weekly sodium limits, informed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s voluntary sodium reduction goals, to gradually reduce sodium levels and more closely align with the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For school lunch, this would include three reductions: SY 2025-26: 10% reduction from SY 2024-25 school lunch weekly sodium limits.

SY 2027-28: 10% reduction from SY 2026-27 school lunch weekly sodium limits.

SY 2029-30: 10% reduction from SY 2028-29 school lunch weekly sodium limits.

Proposed National School Lunch Program Sodium Limits:

Age/Grade GroupSodium Limit: Effective July 1, 2025Sodium Limit: Effective July 1, 2027Sodium Limit: Effective July 1, 2029
Grades K-5< 1,000 mg< 900 mg< 810 mg
Grades 6-8< 1,105 mg< 990 mg< 895 mg
Grades 9-12< 1,150 mg< 1,035 mg< 935 mg

For school breakfast, this would include two reductions:

  • SY 2025-26: 10% reduction from SY 2024-25 school breakfast weekly sodium limits.
  • SY 2027-28: 10% reduction from SY 2026-27 school breakfast weekly sodium limits.
Age/Grade GroupSodium Limit: Effective July 1, 2025Sodium Limit: Effective July 1, 2027
Grades K-5< 485 mg< 435 mg
Grades 6-8< 540 mg< 485 mg
Grades 9-12< 575 mg< 520 mg

Proposed School Breakfast Program Sodium Limits:
 
Current regulations require schools to meet Sodium Target 1 (see chart below) for school lunch and breakfast. For school lunch only, schools are required to meet Interim Sodium Target 1A beginning in school year (SY) 2023-24. These limits are overall weekly limits.
National School Lunch Program Transitional Sodium Limits:

Age/Grade GroupTarget 1: Effective July 1, 2022Interim Target 1A: Effective July 1, 2023
Grades K-5< 1,230 mg< 1,110 mg
Grades 6-8< 1,360 mg< 1,225 mg
Grades 9-12< 1,420 mg< 1,280 mg

School Breakfast Program Transitional Sodium Limits:

Age/Grade GroupTarget 1: Effective July 1, 2022
Grades K-5< 540 mg
Grades 6-8< 600 mg
Grades 9-12< 640 mg

 Added Sugar Proposal:

  1. Product-based limits: Beginning in school year (SY) 2025-26, the rule proposes limits on products that are the leading sources of added sugars in school meals:  
    1. Grain-based desserts (cereal bars, doughnuts, sweet rolls, toaster pastries, coffee cakes, and fruit turnovers) would be limited to no more than 2-ounce equivalents per week in school breakfast, consistent with the current limit for school lunch.  
    2. Breakfast cereals would be limited to no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce. This would apply to CACFP as well, replacing the current total sugars limit. 
    3. Yogurts would be limited to no more than 12 grams of added sugars per 6 ounces.  
    4. Flavored milks would be limited to no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces for milk served with school lunch or breakfast. For flavored milk sold outside of the meal (as a competitive beverage for middle and high school students), the limit would be 15 grams of added sugars per 12 fluid ounces.  

  1. Overall weekly limit: Beginning in SY 2027-28, this rule proposes limiting added sugars to an average of less than 10% of calories per meal for both school breakfasts and lunches. This weekly limit would be in addition to the product-based limits described above.  

Milk Proposal:
This rule proposes two alternatives for the milk standard and is requesting feedback on both: 

  • Alternative A: Beginning in school year (SY) 2025-26, allow flavored milk (fat-free and low-fat) at school lunch and breakfast for high school children (grades 9-12) only. Elementary and middle school children (grades K-8) would be limited to fat-free and/or low-fat unflavored milk. USDA is also requesting public input on whether to extend the age range for flavored milk to also include children in grades 6-8, such that only children in grades K-5 would be limited to fat-free and/or low-fat unflavored milk. Under both scenarios, added sugars in flavored milk would be limited (see: Added Sugars). 
  • Alternative B: Maintain the current standard, which allows all schools to offer fat-free and low-fat milk, flavored and unflavored, at school lunch and breakfast. Added sugars in flavored milk would be limited (see: Added Sugars). 

Grain Requirements:
USDA is proposing to maintain the current requirement that at least 80% of the grains offered per week in the school lunch and breakfast programs are whole grain-rich, based on ounce equivalents.  
USDA is also requesting feedback on an alternative option, which would require all grains offered in the school lunch and breakfast programs to be whole grain-rich, except that one day each school week, schools may offer enriched grains. For most school weeks, this would result in four days of whole grain-rich grains, with enriched grains allowed on one day. 
In addition, USDA is proposing to define “whole grain-rich” in regulation as follows: Whole grain-rich is the term designated by FNS to indicate that the grain content of a product is between 50% and 100% whole grain with any remaining grains being enriched. Previously, this definition was included only in guidance.