The school day is healthier. The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make significant nutrition improvements in school meals, as well as to improve the overall quality of the food sold at school. Specifically, USDA was mandated to update nutrition standards for school lunch, breakfast, and competitive foods. Schools must make sure that water is available free of charge during the meal service. FRAC advocated for these long-overdue improvements and then worked with USDA during the rulemaking process by providing input on the changes.
These new nutrition standards for school meals and competitive foods also have the potential to increase school meal participation. There is a growing body of evidence and local success stories that demonstrate that improving school meal quality and the overall school food environment improves school meal participation.
