Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to bring whole milk back to school cafeterias

It’s been a busy start to the new year. A lawmaker in Pennsylvania is looking to bring whole milk back to school cafeterias and California Governor Gavin Newsom is doubling-down on taking a hard look at additives in school meals. 

Here’s the latest in school nutrition legislation. 

Pennsylvania lawmaker wants whole milk to be served at school 

A Senator in Pennsylvania is hoping to bring back whole milk to school cafeterias across the state. 

Senator Michelle Brooks announced in a memo to fellow senate members that she is planning on reintroducing Senate Bill 297 during 2025-26 regular session which would allow whole milk to be served again in schools. 

Under the National School Lunch Program, schools are currently only allowed to serve low-fat or fat-free milk. It can be flavored or unflavored. 

If signed into law, Pennsylvania would be the latest state to allow whole milk in schools. 

Last spring, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed SB 1914 which allows schools to serve whole milk from milk dispensers that are separate from the school lunch line where federal regulations would apply.

California examines potential harms of ultra-processed foods 

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to direct state agencies to research the potential harms of ultra-processed foods and additives. In addition to analyzing ultra-processed foods, the order will “identify areas where California may adopt higher standards for healthy school meals than national standards and explore developing new standards and partnerships to further protect and expand universal school food programs,” according to a press release from the Governor's office. 

“The food we eat shouldn’t make us sick with disease or lead to lifelong consequences. California has been a leader for years in creating healthy and delicious school meals, and removing harmful ingredients and chemicals from food,” Governor Newsom said in a statement. “We’re going to work with the industry, consumers and experts to crack down on ultra-processed foods and create a healthier future for every Californian.”

The executive order comes a couple of months after Newsom signed  A.B. 2316 into law which bans the use of Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2 and Green Dye No. 3. from being used in public school meals. The new law will go into effect December 31, 2027.

Additives in school meals have been in the spotlight recently. Last month, Texas lawmakers introduced HB 1290 which would ban brominated vegetable oil, red dye 3, potassium bromate, propylparaben, azodicarbonamide, butylated hydroxyanisole and titanium dioxide in free or reduced-price school meals throughout the state. 

Federal lawmakers are also scrutinizing into the use of additives in school meals. A bill recently introduced by Senator Cory Booker, would require the FDA to reevaluate at least 10 certain food additives with known carcinogenic, reproductive, or developmental health harms, including food dyes. The dyes would be banned from use in school meals until after the revaluation.  

Along with requiring the FDA to reevaluate food dyes, the bill would also ask them to find a safe level of heavy metals in school meals and ban certain pesticides and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from school meals and their packaging.