This bill became law on 2026-01-14 as Public Law No. 119-69.
The summary below describes the bill at the version we last reviewed; the enacted text may differ.
Federal school lunch rules have restricted milk options in cafeterias for years, allowing only reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free varieties. This bill changes that by allowing schools to offer whole milk alongside the lower-fat options already available — including flavored varieties and organic or conventional whole milk. Schools can also provide lactose-free milk and nondairy alternatives that meet federal nutritional standards for calcium, protein, and vitamins, and whole milk's fat content will not count against a meal's saturated fat limits under program nutrition rules. Separately, the bill adds food allergy education — how to prevent, recognize, and respond to allergic reactions — to the required training that school cafeteria workers already take.
Average Household Impact
- Whole milk availability in school lunch program — Restored alongside lower-fat options for students in the National School Lunch Program
Congressional Summary
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025This act revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allow schools to offer students whole and reduced-fat milk. The act also requires that local school food service personnel receive annual training and certification on food allergies.The act permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat (2%), low-fat (1%), and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. The milk that is offered may be organic or nonorganic. Currently, USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The act also removes the requirement that schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans.The act also expands the nondairy beverages that are included in the program by allowing schools to offer all students nondairy beverages that are nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk and that meet nutritional standards established by USDA.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 act, a parent or legal guardian may also provide the written statement.In addition, the act excludes fluid milk from the saturated fat content calculation for school meals. Currently, schools 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 act, 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.Finally, the program's mandatory training and certification for local school food service personnel must include a module on food allergies, including information on the best practices to prevent, recognize, and respond to food-related allergic reactions. Food service personnel must receive an annual certification to demonstrate competence in the food allergies training and other training modules that are provided.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Public Law
- Action Date
- 2026-01-14
- Date Added
- 2026-06-19
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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