USDA Revises School Meal Guidelines
Thursday, January 26, 2012(American Meat Institute)
For the first time in 15 years, the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has
issued new school meal guidelines. The new
guidelines, which apply to lunches subsidized
by the federal government, were crafted to
comply with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. They place new restrictions on
the number of calories (according to age
group), milligrams of sodium and percentages of
calories from saturated fat children’s meals
may contain.
One significant change in the rules is that
meat will no longer be required as part of
school breakfast. The USDA says the change was
made to cut costs, despite evidence that
protein at breakfast is beneficial to children
and teens.
“At a time when childhood obesity is such
a major issue, we are concerned about
deemphasizing meat at breakfast. In 2011, a key
University of
Missouri study concluded that protein at
breakfast actually enhanced appetite and weight
control in teens,” said AMI Foundation
Director of Scientific Affairs Betsy Booren,
Ph.D. “A study in the
International Journal of Obesity reached
similar conclusions. Lean meat and
poultry items as part of breakfast are enjoyed
by children and teens and will help satisfy
longer.”
The new rules go into effect on July 1,
2012.
For a sample of the USDA's "before" and
"after" five-day menu, go to: www.usda.gov/documents/cnr_chart.pdf.
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