Manteca Unified has no immediate plans to serve whole or 2% milk now that President Trump signed into law Congressional legislation allowing it.
“Although President Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Jan. 14, allowing schools to offer whole and 2% milk, districts must still follow USDA regulations and state implementation guidance,” noted Manteca Unified School District Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Victoria Brunn.
“MUSD will continue to comply with all federal requirements as it reviews any future changes,” she added.
The new law — once United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) integrates it into guidelines — will allow schools with some 30 million students that receive federal funding for cafeterias to have such an option.
The change could take effect as soon as this fall, though school nutrition and dairy industry officials said it may take longer for some schools to gauge demand for full-fat dairy and adjust supply chains
Under current USDA regulations, MUSD offers:
*Unflavored low-fat (1%) milk
*Fat-free (skim) milk, including fat-free chocolate milk at lunch as well as fat-free strawberry milk on special occasions, when available.
On a typical school day, Manteca Unified serves 13,147 cartons of milk.
The district offers non-dairy milk for students with dietary restrictions
Manteca Unified relies on a medical statement from a licensed healthcare provider when providing a milk option outside of the standard meal pattern to support student safety and appropriate care.
This documentation allows the district to safely address dietary needs and ensure students receive an appropriate substitute.
The new law, when it goes into effect, requires schools to offer a nondairy milk alternative if kids provide a note from their parents, not just from doctors, saying they have a dietary restriction.
Schools will be required to provide students with a range of fluid milk options, which can now include flavored and unflavored organic or conventional whole milk, 2%, 1% and lactose-free milk, as well as non-dairy options that meet nutrition standards.
New dietary guidelines call for “full-fat dairy with no added sugars,” which would preclude chocolate- and strawberry-flavored milks allowed under a recent update of school meal standards. Agriculture officials will have to translate that recommendation into specific requirements for schools to eliminate flavored milks.
The new law exempts milk fat from being considered as part of federal requirements that average saturated fats make up less than 10% of calories in school meals.
The whole milk and 2% options were banned from school cafeterias since federal law was enacted in 2012 on the belief they contributed to childhood obesity.
More recent research is mixed about children being less obese due to the ban with some studies suggested it helps prevent some kids from becoming overweight.
Trump signing the law comes days after the release of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which emphasize consumption of full-fat dairy products as part of a healthy diet. Previous editions advised that consumers older than 2 should consume low-fat or fat-free dairy.
Nutrition experts, lawmakers and the dairy industry have argued that whole milk is a delicious, nutritious food that has been unfairly vilified, and that some studies suggest that kids who drink it are less likely to develop obesity than those who drink lower-fat options.
Critics have also said that many children don’t like the taste of lower-fat milk and don’t drink it, leading to missed nutrition and food waste.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
Manteca Unified has no immediate plans to serve whole or 2% milk now that President Trump signed into law Congressional legislation allowing it.
“Although President Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Jan. 14, allowing schools to offer whole and 2% milk, districts must still follow USDA regulations and state implementation guidance,” noted Manteca Unified School District Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Victoria Brunn.
“MUSD will continue to comply with all federal requirements as it reviews any future changes,” she added.
The new law — once United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) integrates it into guidelines — will allow schools with some 30 million students that receive federal funding for cafeterias to have such an option.
The change could take effect as soon as this fall, though school nutrition and dairy industry officials said it may take longer for some schools to gauge demand for full-fat dairy and adjust supply chains
Under current USDA regulations, MUSD offers:
*Unflavored low-fat (1%) milk
*Fat-free (skim) milk, including fat-free chocolate milk at lunch as well as fat-free strawberry milk on special occasions, when available.
On a typical school day, Manteca Unified serves 13,147 cartons of milk.
The district offers non-dairy milk for students with dietary restrictions
Manteca Unified relies on a medical statement from a licensed healthcare provider when providing a milk option outside of the standard meal pattern to support student safety and appropriate care.
This documentation allows the district to safely address dietary needs and ensure students receive an appropriate substitute.
The new law, when it goes into effect, requires schools to offer a nondairy milk alternative if kids provide a note from their parents, not just from doctors, saying they have a dietary restriction.
Schools will be required to provide students with a range of fluid milk options, which can now include flavored and unflavored organic or conventional whole milk, 2%, 1% and lactose-free milk, as well as non-dairy options that meet nutrition standards.
New dietary guidelines call for “full-fat dairy with no added sugars,” which would preclude chocolate- and strawberry-flavored milks allowed under a recent update of school meal standards. Agriculture officials will have to translate that recommendation into specific requirements for schools to eliminate flavored milks.
The new law exempts milk fat from being considered as part of federal requirements that average saturated fats make up less than 10% of calories in school meals.
The whole milk and 2% options were banned from school cafeterias since federal law was enacted in 2012 on the belief they contributed to childhood obesity.
More recent research is mixed about children being less obese due to the ban with some studies suggested it helps prevent some kids from becoming overweight.
Trump signing the law comes days after the release of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which emphasize consumption of full-fat dairy products as part of a healthy diet. Previous editions advised that consumers older than 2 should consume low-fat or fat-free dairy.
Nutrition experts, lawmakers and the dairy industry have argued that whole milk is a delicious, nutritious food that has been unfairly vilified, and that some studies suggest that kids who drink it are less likely to develop obesity than those who drink lower-fat options.
Critics have also said that many children don’t like the taste of lower-fat milk and don’t drink it, leading to missed nutrition and food waste.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
