School lunch has always been a controversy in America— with conflicting views over how to balance the need for nutrition alongside taste and appeal. This debate may worsen over the coming years due to new food regulations that strive to crack down on added sugars and sodium. On one hand, many parents and administrators are on board with these regulations, as nutrition is a top priority. However, some are unimpressed by the new regulations, saying that doing so might disturb the health-taste balance further, leading to increased food waste.
The new regulations sent out by the USDA on April 24 states that sodium levels in school lunches will be reduced by 15% and that added sugars cannot be more than 10% of weekly calories. This is the first time that there has been a cut on sugar nationwide. Added sugars are usually found in breakfast items such as yogurt and cereal, which will most likely be under target. These quick, pre-packaged breakfast items are not only convenient, but cheap! With restrictions on these, schools may have to limit their options. This change will be gradual but is planned to fully take effect in the 2027-2028 school year.
This worries some, as school food is already not popular amongst high school students.This could be due to the fact that teens need more calories than both adults and children, so many are dissatisfied with the small portions alongside general negative opinions on taste. A 2019 “cafeteria food” study conducted by Penn State found that 27% to 53% of the food served in American school cafeterias was thrown away, with another study adding that almost 530,000 tons of school food are thrown away each year.
Khadeeja Rafiq, Sophomore at Westfield High gives her heated opinion on the topic, saying, “I’ve never been a fan. The lunch is bland, dry, and definitely not fresh. I feel like nutrition isn’t even a big priority! At lunch you’ll see mostly empty plates with just the entree- and maybe a fruit or vegetable packet that they force you to take- which most people don’t touch.”
Briar Woods Freshman Amaya Cabiness gives a more neutral response,“I don’t mind it. It’s not a five star meal but it’s not the worst. Some days are good, some days are eh, some days are prison food. I just think we need more options.”
When asked about her thoughts on the updated policy, Cabiness shrugged, saying “I feel like our lunch is already pretty healthy as it is. I mean, wheat bread, zero sugar drinks, etc. I don’t think there’s a huge need for it.”
However, this opinion is not shared by everybody. Nia Dhaniasih, parent of a Briar Woods Student mentions, “I’m glad to know kids aren’t eating junk. Kids always complain about anything remotely healthy so it doesn’t surprise me that some students could be against it. But I think health is a huge priority. American food is already so unhealthy.”
Nutritionists mostly agree with this stance, as American adolescents struggle to make healthy nutrition choices outside of school. The American diet heavily favors processed foods with a concerning amount of added sodium and sugars. According to NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information, 47% of US adults get their energy from junk food, 75% from sugar, 46% from sodium, and 48% from saturated fat.
The USDA regulations were originally much stricter and were to be pushed out in a shorter amount of time. However, after several criticisms from the public, this was adjusted so school cafeterias— which are already struggling to keep up with existing regulations and inflating prices.
School Nutrition Association President Chris Derico calls the new rules “more attainable, long-term nutrition goals that acknowledge the tremendous challenges schools face when working to adjust menus and gain student acceptance of healthier meals.”
It is unclear how much Loudoun County will be affected by these new regulations, but expect a few changes throughout the next coming years. Some changes have already been seen, with the hot chocolate at the Academies of Loudoun being recalled for being too high-sugar. Overall, nutrition is an important part of adolescence and it is vital to continue to research and grow the efforts to continually improve what students eat every day.
