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Biden administration tries to toughen school nutrition standards

school lunch
Posted at 4:49 PM, Feb 03, 2023
and last updated 2023-02-03 16:49:56-05

The meals that millions of students eat while at school in the United States is yet again in focus for lawmakers and the White House as the Biden administration looks to improve various health factors for what students in the U.S consume while they learn.

Under a new efforts, the Biden administration hopes to lower sugarand sodium while pushing for more foods with whole grains under new guidelines proposed on Friday.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, "This is a national security imperative. It’s a healthcare imperative for our children. It’s an equity issue. It’s an educational achievement issue. And it’s an economic competitiveness issue."

But some expressed concern that stricter guidelines will have schools reducing choice on menus, Reuters reported.

Michael Gasper, a nutrition services supervisor in Wisconsin said, "Most districts allow students to leave campus. They’ll be hitting the convenience stores, the fast-food restaurants."

He said, "Nutrition is only nutrition if they eat it."