After Intense Backlash, Biden’s New School Meal Rules Keep Chocolate Milk on the Menu by Bill Pan – US Politics News

Schools across the country will need to include less sugar and salt in meals but can keep chocolate milk on the menu, the Biden administration said in its announcement of new nutrition standards published Wednesday.
The new rules marks the first time added sugars will be limited in school meals nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Federal regulators said the change is based on complaints from parents and teachers about excessive amounts of added sugars in common food items, such as cereals, yogurts, and flavored milks.
Schools are also mandated to gradually reduce sodium content in their meals. By the beginning of the 2027–2028 school year, schools must cut sodium by 10 percent in breakfasts and 15 percent in lunches. This requirement is a significantly watered-down version of the USDA’s initial proposal, under which schools would have to slash the sodium by 10 percent in lunches each school year from 2025 to 2029….