The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is pleased with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s updated school meal standards that continue to stress the nutritional benefits of low-fat and fat-free milk and dairy products.
A final version of those standards was released Wednesday by the USDA following more than a year of public comment and review. NMPF submitted comments to USDA last April focusing on the nutrient package of milk and dairy foods, which will continue to be a core component of school meals, with fluid milk being offered at all meals.
“The updated nutrition standards require that low-fat or fat-free milk remain a part of every school meal,” said NMPF President and CEO Jerry Kozak.
In addition, Kozak said, including both plain and flavored milk in school meals is a sure-fire way to make diets more nutritious. “Milk, including chocolate milk, is the No. 1 source of three out of four nutrients cited by the U.S Dietary guidelines as lacking in children’s diets,” he said, “and chocolate milk is the drink-of-choice in school meal lines.”
Kozak noted that, since 2006, the dairy industry has proactively reduced the sugar in flavored milk by nearly 40 percent, and flavored milk contributes only three percent of the added sugar in children’s diets.
Kozak also praised USDA for keeping low-fat and fat-free yogurt and cheese on school breakfast and lunch menus. “Yogurt and cheese are kid-friendly solutions to help meet protein requirements,” he said. “They are favorites at home so it’s only natural that schools also should offer these products.”