HR 1861 — Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2021

(a) Nutritional requirements (1) (A) Lunches served by schools participating in the school lunch program under this chapter shall meet minimum nutritional requirements prescribed by the Secretary on the basis of tested nutritional research, except that the minimum nutritional requirements— (i) shall not be construed to prohibit the substitution of foods to accommodate the medical or other special dietary needs of individual students; and (ii) shall, at a minimum, be based on the weekly average of the nutrient content of school lunches. (B) The Secretary shall provide technical assistance and training, including technical assistance and training in the preparation of lower-fat versions of foods commonly used in the school lunch program under this chapter, to schools participating in the school lunch program to assist the schools in complying with the nutritional requirements prescribed by the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A) and in providing appropriate meals to children with medically certified special dietary needs. The Secretary shall provide additional technical assistance to schools that are having difficulty maintaining compliance with the requirements. (2) Fluid milk.— (A) In general.— Lunches served by schools participating in the school lunch program under this chapter— (i) shall offer students a variety of fluid milk; (ii) may offer students options which may include flavored and unflavored organic or nonorganic whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free fluid milk and lactose-free fluid milk, and nondairy beverages that are nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk and meet the nutritional standards established by the Secretary (which shall, among other requirements to be determined by the Secretary, include fortification of calcium, protein, vitamin A, and vitamin D to levels found in cow’s milk); and (iii) shall provide a substitute for fluid milk for students whose disability restricts their diet, on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician, parent, or legal guardian that identifies the disability that restricts the student’s diet and that specifies the substitute for fluid milk. (B) Substitutes.— (i) Standards for substitution.— A school may substitute for the fluid milk provided under subparagraph (A), a nondairy beverage that is nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk and meets nutritional standards established by the Secretary (which shall, among other requirements to be determined by the Secretary, include fortification of calcium, protein, vitamin A, and vitamin D to levels found in cow’s milk) for students who cannot consume fluid milk because of a medical or other special dietary need other than a disability described in subparagraph (A)(iii). (ii) Notice.— The substitutions may be made if the school notifies the State agency that the school is implementing a variation allowed under this subparagraph, and if the substitution is requested by written statement of a medical authority or by a student’s parent or legal guardian that identifies the medical or other special dietary need that restricts the student’s diet, except that the school shall not be required to provide beverages other than beverages the school has identified as acceptable substitutes. (iii) Excess expenses borne by school food authority.— Expenses incurred in providing substitutions under this subparagraph that are in excess of expenses covered by reimbursements under this chapter shall be paid by the school food authority. (C) Restrictions on sale of milk prohibited.— A school that participates in the school lunch program under this chapter shall not directly or indirectly restrict the sale or marketing of products described in subparagraph (A)(ii) by the school (or by a person approved by the school) at any time or any place— (i) on the school premises; or (ii) at any school-sponsored event. (D) Saturated fat.— Milk fat included in any fluid milk provided under subparagraph (A) shall not be considered saturated fat fo...