Model state school foods bill 2026

Healthy School Meals For All State Advocacy Convening 2026

CSPI hosted the HSMFA State Advocacy Convening on June 15–16, 2026, bringing together approximately ninety-five participants across two virtual days: state-level advocates, coalition leaders, organizers, researchers, and partners working on active campaigns from across the country.

Back to school: Allergen-free snacks for the whole class

Food allergies can be difficult to navigate in the classroom, but we’ve rounded up the best healthy snack ideas—all free from the Big Nine allergens, easy to pack and share, delicious, and nutritious.

770,000 children no longer receive SNAP benefits after Trump changes program

The number of children receiving food assistance has plummeted by at least 776,000, according to a ProPublica analysis. Of the 1,670,011 people who are no longer receiving benefits in 12 states, 776,134, or 46%, were children.

CSPI's comment on USDA's final rule implementing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act

USDA’s final rule Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs (91 FR 25073) seeks to codify the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, passed by Congress December 2025, and expand milk offerings to additional programs beyond NSLP, including SBP, CACFP and the Special Milk Program. In addition to providing these options, the rule exempts the saturated fat content in fluid milk from counting towards the weekly saturated fat limits school meals must follow. In this comment, we make the following points: 1. CSPI opposes USDA’s decisions to remove dairy fat restrictions from the CNPs and exempt fluid milk from school meal weekly saturated fat limits. 2. CSPI urges USDA to include and specify the nondairy beverage access provisions included in the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act in future rulemaking and ensure these provisions apply to all CNPs. 3. CSPI requests USDA clarify that any flavored milk options, regardless of fat content, must meet per-product added sugar limits and weekly added sugar limits as established in the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. View the resource below to keep reading.

Making time to eat: A review of state policies and guidance on school mealtime duration

School meal nutrition standards, explained

School meals and snacks must align with federal standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Learn more about school nutrition standards here.

USDA advances its industry carveout agenda

School meals success story: Onondaga County, NY

West Genesee Central School District shows what is needed for a successful school meal program that promotes local produce and trying new fruits and vegetables.

Ill-equipped: Why the U.S. needs to invest in school kitchen equipment and infrastructure

Almost 30 million children in the U.S. receive school meals through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. These meals must meet rigorous, evidence-based nutrition standards. As a result of major legislative and regulatory changes over the last 15 years, school meals are now the healthiest meals kids eat. Yet outdated kitchen equipment and infrastructure limit schools’ ability to provide freshly prepared meals that emphasize a variety of produce.