New legislation and updated dietary guidelines pave the way for American schools to once again serve whole milk to pupils.

For the first time in around 15 years, American schoolchildren will once again be offered whole milk as part of school lunch programmes. This follows President Donald Trump’s signing of the new ‘Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act’ on 14 January.

The law rolls back earlier nutritional requirements that allowed only low-fat milk in US schools. Going forward, schools may once again offer both whole milk and semi-skimmed milk as part of school meals. Individual school districts will decide which dairy products to make available to pupils. Whole milk typically has a fat content of around 3.25 per cent.

According to the Danish broadcaster DR, the decision was announced by the White House in a post on the social media platform X, accompanied by the slogan ‘Make Whole Milk Great Again’.

Closely linked to new dietary guidelines
The legislative change comes in close alignment with the new US dietary guidelines, ‘Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030’, which were published earlier this month. The updated guidelines mark a clear shift away from an exclusive focus on fat reduction and towards the nutritional value and level of processing of foods. At the same time, animal-based products once again play a more prominent role in the recommendations.

Supporters argue that whole milk contains fat-soluble vitamins and may help children feel fuller for longer, while critics warn of higher calorie intake and an increased risk of overweight.

By Lene Mikkelsen Walsh
Source: DR, USDA.gov
Photo: Robin Worrall, Unsplash