NYC Schools Defy Trump's Whole Milk Push, Stick with Lower-Fat Options
The Trump administration's bid to make school milk whole again has hit a snag in New York City, where public schools remain committed to serving 1% and skim milk. The president signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law on Wednesday, reversing an Obama-era ban on whole milk at schools funded through the federal lunch program.
Despite Trump's enthusiasm for the measure, which he touted as "a very important thing for our farmers" and beneficial for the nation's people, city officials have rejected plans to introduce whole milk. The Department of Education announced that it won't be changing its current milk offerings, citing research-based nutrition guidance and student feedback.
The policy shift comes amid concerns about childhood obesity, which has led federal agencies to restrict schools from serving high-fat milk options in the past decade. However, under the new law, whole milk is now permitted, while a plant-based alternative must be offered if requested by a student's doctor or guardian.
While advocates for whole milk see the addition of dairy as beneficial for taste and nutrition, critics argue that the saturated fat content remains a concern given the prevalence of ultraprocessed foods in American diets. Experts like Pam Koch, associate professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, emphasize the importance of sticking with lower-fat options due to research suggesting their health benefits.
Not everyone is opposed to whole milk, however. Brooklyn parent Eva Bogaisky expressed her support for a 2% option, believing it might encourage more kids to drink milk. Some city officials have also voiced concerns about sugar content in flavored milk options, like chocolate milk.
Despite the administration's efforts, New York City appears to be taking a cautious approach, sticking with its established policy on lower-fat milk options. This stance reflects broader debates over nutrition and dietary guidelines that are ongoing across the country.
The Trump administration's bid to make school milk whole again has hit a snag in New York City, where public schools remain committed to serving 1% and skim milk. The president signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law on Wednesday, reversing an Obama-era ban on whole milk at schools funded through the federal lunch program.
Despite Trump's enthusiasm for the measure, which he touted as "a very important thing for our farmers" and beneficial for the nation's people, city officials have rejected plans to introduce whole milk. The Department of Education announced that it won't be changing its current milk offerings, citing research-based nutrition guidance and student feedback.
The policy shift comes amid concerns about childhood obesity, which has led federal agencies to restrict schools from serving high-fat milk options in the past decade. However, under the new law, whole milk is now permitted, while a plant-based alternative must be offered if requested by a student's doctor or guardian.
While advocates for whole milk see the addition of dairy as beneficial for taste and nutrition, critics argue that the saturated fat content remains a concern given the prevalence of ultraprocessed foods in American diets. Experts like Pam Koch, associate professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, emphasize the importance of sticking with lower-fat options due to research suggesting their health benefits.
Not everyone is opposed to whole milk, however. Brooklyn parent Eva Bogaisky expressed her support for a 2% option, believing it might encourage more kids to drink milk. Some city officials have also voiced concerns about sugar content in flavored milk options, like chocolate milk.
Despite the administration's efforts, New York City appears to be taking a cautious approach, sticking with its established policy on lower-fat milk options. This stance reflects broader debates over nutrition and dietary guidelines that are ongoing across the country.
. I mean, don't get me wrong, whole milk is a classic, but have we seen what's been happening to our kids' taste buds lately? I think it's great that they're listening to student feedback and prioritizing health over calories 
. And let's be real, the research on saturated fat is pretty solid - I'm all for keeping it low-fat if you ask me 
. Brooklyn mom Eva Bogaisky makes a legit point about offering more options too... who knows, maybe 2% will become the new cool milk choice? 
Anyway, it's good to see NYC taking its time with this policy change and not rushing into anything that might not be in the best interest of their kids 
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i mean dont get me wrong whole milk does have its uses but all that saturated fat in schools? thats just asking for a recipe for disaster 
im all about those lower-fat options fam, especially with the obesity rates being what they are. and yeah eva bogaisky makes a valid point too if they had a 2% option it might get more kids drinking milk. but i guess its not that simple 
. and havent we been warned about childhood obesity 4eva?! 
it makes so much sense 2 stick with lower-fat options. btw, 1% milk is still the best imo 
Experts say lower-fat options are where it's at for our health, and I'm all about that 
! Plus, flavored milk options might be fun, but let's not forget those added sugars can't be good for us in the long run 
. And yeah, maybe 2% milk sounds like a compromise, but still... I'd rather have some options with less fat, you know? 
I mean, can you blame 'em? Whole milk is like, super rich and creamy... but let's be real, our kids' diets are already a hot mess, add whole milk to it and they'll be swimming in saturated fat 
! And what's with the chocolate milk drama? 
'Hey, let's make this even more sugary!' No thanks, city officials are keeping it real... or should I say, 1% 
And don't even get me started on the sugar content in flavored milks... like chocolate milk is gonna make up for a whole glass of sugar? No thank you! 
At least NYC schools are making sense, sticking with lower-fat options. What's next, forcing us to eat more sugary snacks in school cafeterias?! 
It's all just so whack...
, like what's in it for him? The fact that NYC schools are sticking with 1% and skim milk makes total sense tho 
. I mean, we're already dealing with too many processed foods as it is, adding more saturated fat just doesn't make sense 
. And let's be real, who's really gonna drink whole milk when you've got flavored options like chocolate? 
. I'm low-key glad NYC isn't backing down on this one 