Texas bill would ban certain additives in free and reduced-price school meals

Texas lawmakers are looking to follow California’s lead and have introduced a bill that would ban certain additives in free and reduced-price school meals. Over in Pennsylvania, the Department of Education is bringing back its popular school breakfast challenge for a second year. 

Here’s the latest in school nutrition legislation.

Texas could be the next state to ban certain additives in school meals

A bill has been introduced in the Texas would ban certain additives for use in free or reduced-price school meals. If passed, HB 1290 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. 

The bill would go into effect starting next school year. A companion bill has also been introduced in the Senate. 

Texas is not the only state taking a hard look at certain additives in school meals. Earlier this year, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed A.B. 2316 into law which bans 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 throughout the state.

Pennsylvania is hoping School Breakfast Challenge will boost breakfast participation 

Pennsylvania schools will once again be able to participate in some friendly competition to boost their breakfast participation. The state’s Department of Education has announced the return of its Breakfast Challenge which asks participating schools to find ways to grow their breakfast numbers in the new year. 

Similar to last year’s challenge, participating schools will have three months to see how much they can increase their participation in the morning meal. Those that see the largest increases will then be recognized by the state. 

Last year’s contest saw 37 school districts increase their breakfast participation. The state hopes to build upon that number this year. 

“The key to healthy development is eating a nutritious breakfast each morning, and Pennsylvania’s schools are helping their students start their day on the right foot with free breakfast in the classroom,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin in a statement. “Last year’s Governor’s School Breakfast Challenge helped increase breakfast participation by 10 million meals, and we encourage even more schools to take the Challenge this year.

Pennsylvania has been providing universal free breakfast at school to all students in the state since 2022 and has seen its breakfast participation go up as a result, according to state data.