Plant-Based Milk Could Join Dairy on School Lunch Menus Under Proposed FISCAL Act

The "Freedom in School Cafeterias and Lunches Act," or FISCAL Act, proposes a straightforward change to the National School Lunch Program: allowing schools to offer plant-based milk options alongside traditional fluid milk. This amendment to the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (specifically Sections 9(a)(2), 14(f), and 20(c)) would expand the definition of "milk" served under the program, potentially bringing soy, oat, almond, or other plant-derived beverages to lunch trays.

More Choices in the Carton

At its core, this bill updates the rules governing what counts as milk in federally subsidized school lunches. Instead of being limited primarily to fluid dairy milk, schools participating in the National School Lunch Program would gain the flexibility to include plant-based alternatives. The text explicitly states the milk offered should include "fluid milk and plant-based milk," suggesting these options are meant to coexist, giving students more variety. This could be a welcome change for students with lactose intolerance, dairy allergies, or specific dietary preferences like veganism, who previously might have had limited or no official milk alternatives provided through the lunch program.

Setting the Standard: The Nutritional Question

The key condition attached to this expansion is that any plant-based milk offered must meet "nutritional standards set by the Secretary" (presumably the Secretary of Agriculture, who oversees the USDA and school lunch programs). This detail is crucial but currently undefined within the bill itself. The specific nutritional benchmarks—like required levels of calcium, vitamin D, protein, and limits on added sugars—will determine which plant-based products actually qualify. These future standards will dictate whether schools can offer a wide range of options or only a select few fortified beverages, significantly impacting the practical effect of the legislation.

Potential Ripples: Costs, Cafeterias, and Cows

While offering more choice seems positive, the real-world rollout involves practical considerations. Schools will need to assess the costs and logistics of sourcing and storing potentially more expensive plant-based milks within existing budgets. There's also the question of how this might affect the dairy industry, a long-standing supplier to school lunch programs. Ultimately, the success of this change hinges on the specifics of the nutritional standards and how individual school districts choose to implement the new flexibility, balancing student needs, dietary guidelines, and operational costs.