Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced late last week major initiatives that he said will support and enhance the health of America’s children through nutritious school meals. At the USDA Conversation on Healthy School Meals Roundtable, Vilsack says, “Our commitment to the school meal programs comes from a common goal we all share – keeping kids healthy and helping them reach their full potential.”
USDA, he noted, supports efforts to enhance the health and quality of life of America’s children by proposing gradual updates to science-based nutrition standards in school meals, recognizing school districts that have gone above and beyond in nutritional quality, and assisting small and rural school districts in improving the nutritional quality of school meals. Vilsack shared proposed updates to the school meal standards to reflect the latest nutrition science.
These updates focus on a few targeted areas that will support even healthier meals for kids on a timeline that reflects critical input from school nutrition professionals, public health experts, industry, and parents.
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