School Meals Corporate Report Card 2021 image

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 leaves 30 million school kids behind

By passing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, monumental legislation that will primarily reduce health insurance and Medicare prescription drug costs and tackle the climate crisis, the Senate stripped the bill of an extension of free school meals and additional food assistance for children during the summer.

Healthy KidsAugust 7, 2022Colin Schwartz, MPP

A young boy takes food for his lunch tray from a buffet

Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Nutrition Standards in School Meals: A Recent History

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010 set higher nutrition standards for milk, whole grains, and sodium at school meals. However, over the past 12 years, these standards have been repeatedly undermined. This fact sheet tracks this history from pre-HHFKA (2010) to the present (2022).

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Two pairs of students eat at lunch tables

House Child Nutrition Reauthorization strengthens school meals nutrition standards and expands access to programs

The Center for Science in the Public Interest commends the House Education and Labor Chairman for introducing the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, the House’s Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill. Short of ensuring free school meals for all children, which Congress has tried but failed to do, the bill expands access to free meals for high-need schools and provides additional food assistance to children during the summer.

Healthy KidsJuly 21, 2022Colin Schwartz, MPP

A win for free school meals for all

In June, Congress passed the Keep Kids Fed Act, much-needed legislation that helps kids access free school meals through the summer. This is a major win in the fight for free schools meals for all!

Healthy KidsJuly 6, 2022Colin Schwartz, MPP

Figure 1: Top 200 Restaurant Outlets with Sugary Drinks on the Children's Menu. 58% of outlets do not offer sugary drinks; the rest (42%) do.

Restaurant Children’s Meals: The Faults with Unhealthy Defaults

The default options for side dishes and drinks with restaurant children’s meals are often unhealthy. Providing healthier default options for children’s meals iscrucial. Healthy defaults support parents by reducing barriers to feeding their children healthfully.

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Healthy Restaurant Children’s Meals Improve Children’s Diets and Health

Restaurants and communities should support parents’ efforts to feed their children well.

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Three young children sit on a couch, looking at phones and tablets

Unilever’s doing better by kids. Will the rest of the industry take note?

Industry self-regulation of food marketing to kids is far from perfect, often leaving major loopholes or failing to prove effective. With its recent updates, Unilever is taking steps in the right direction.

Industry AccountabilityJune 16, 2022Katie Marx

Chart: State and local restaurant kids’ meal policies

A chart tracking state and local policies affecting what is served as part of restaurant kids' meals.

Sugary Drinks

Healthy school meals for all

This toolkit provides resources for advocates to improve school meals. The focus of this toolkit is advocacy at the state and local levels, but many of the resources provided can be used for federal advocacy as well. Topics covered include strengthening nutrition standards, increasing access to free meals, and funding for training, technical assistance, and kitchen equipment for operators. All fact sheets can be downloaded and printed or shared electronically with stakeholders.

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Dessert for Breakfast Fact Sheet

Thanks to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which passed in 2010, school meals today have more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, fewer calories, and less sodium and unhealthy fat. But alarmingly, there is no limit on added sugars in federal school meal standards. This means that companies can sell dessert-like breakfast products to schools that meet federal nutrition standards.

Healthy Kids