Whole and 2% milk are headed back to America’s school cafeterias after President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law on Wednesday.
The move reverses a key restriction from Obama-era USDA school-meal rules under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which barred whole milk and limited schools to fat-free or low-fat milk options, either flavored or unflavored.
“With this legislation, schools will finally be able to expand their offerings to include nutritious whole milk,” Trump said at the signing. “This is the perfect follow-up to the new Real Food pyramid.”
Easier access to milk substitutes for families
The law also changes how families can request non-dairy alternatives. Under the prior policy, parents generally needed a written statement from a doctor to obtain a substitute. Now, the bill allows parents to request milk substitutes without that physician documentation.
“We’re eliminating that rather ridiculous policy, allowing parents to choose what is best for their child, which is a big move,” Trump said.
Tied to a broader health push
The signing comes a week after the release of the flipped food pyramid, part of the Make America Healthy Again movement’s approach to public health messaging.
During the event, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration is pushing back on longstanding guidance around saturated fat in school menus.
Trump poses with a milk mustache
Drink up, America. #DrinkWholeMilk 🥛 (USDA)
Kennedy argued that whole milk provides nutrients important for growing children, pointing to brain and physical development. He also linked recent trends in childhood obesity and diabetes to changes in school nutrition over the past 15 years, including removing whole milk from cafeterias.
What the research and doctors say about milk fat
A 2020 study by University of Toronto professors, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found an association between higher cow’s-milk fat consumption and lower body-fat levels in children ages 1 to 18.
Dr. Neha Pathak, a chief physician editor for WebMD, told Fox News Digital that the biggest difference between milk types is fat content.
“As you go down in milk fat percentage, you generally get fewer calories and less saturated fat, while protein and calcium stay broadly similar,” Pathak said. She added that certain nutrients, such as vitamin D, are commonly added back through fortification.
How plant-based milks compare
With plant-based milks becoming more common, Pathak noted that many non-dairy options contain less protein than cow’s milk.
“Whole milk is a high-quality protein,” she said, adding that soy and pea-based milks are the closest nutritional comparisons when it comes to protein.
Officials emphasize development and satiety
Dr. Ben Carson, USDA’s national advisor for nutrition, health and housing, said whole milk supports brain development because children’s brains grow rapidly and require fats that play a role in development. He also pointed to vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus as key nutrients associated with bone and teeth health.
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital that while whole milk does not necessarily contain less sugar than lower-fat options, he believes it offers benefits that can help kids feel fuller.
“[Whole milk] offer[s] more protein, calcium, vitamin D and minerals that are good for you, and it promotes satiety, which may keep you from overeating,” Siegel said.
“It may also decrease your risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome and keep you from other addictive substances.”
