Chocolate milk may become a thing of the past in elementary and middle schools across the US.
In an attempt to limit sugar consumption among kids, the United States Department of Agriculture has proposed a series of rule changes about the distribution, availability and sugar content of milk in school cafeterias.
The agency is considering three scenarios. The most extreme would ban flavored-milk drinks from all K-8 schools and require those available to high schoolers to reduce their added sugar content. It also proposed limiting the ban to elementary students or keeping the milks widely available, while limiting the amount of added sugar.
The USDA said it was targeting flavored milks because a 2021 study found they are a leading source of added sugar in kids’ school breakfast and lunches. Flavored skim milk accounts for almost half of the added sugars in school lunches, the analysis found.
If adopted, any changes would go into effect in the fall of the 2025-2026 school year. The USDA allowed public comment for the proposed rule changes from Feb. 7 through May 10.
The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Current USDA guidelines stipulate that schools have to offer low-fat or fat-free unflavored milk for breakfast and lunch, which many students rely on as a primary source of food. Flavored milk must be fat-free or low-fat as well.
In comments submitted to the USDA in March, the nonprofit School Nutrition Association defended the inclusion of flavored milk at all grade levels, arguing that kids are less likely to drink milk if there are no flavored options.
The American Academy of Pediatrics generally recommends caregivers replace sweetened drinks with water, but also notes that flavored milk in schools “provides a good example of the balance needed to limit added sugars and yet promote nutrient-rich foods.” The drinks have added sugars, but they are nutrient rich, too.
