School meals must comply with nutrition standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Additionally, snacks sold outside of meal times must adhere to federal standards, which are notably less strict. This has resulted in companies introducing copycat or lookalike products in schools that mimic grocery store items but are reformulated to meet school nutrition requirements.
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The USDA's School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs are essential federal nutrition assistance initiatives serving nearly 30 million children, many of whom receive a significant portion of their daily calories from these meals. Under federal law, school meals must meet specified nutritional guidelines informed by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Significant updates to these standards were made following the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which led to a ban on full-calorie sodas and less nutritious foods in schools, while promoting whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
In April 2024, the USDA issued a final rule that revised school nutrition requirements to better align with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines. This rule introduced the first-ever limits on added sugars in school meals and updated sodium standards.
Snacks that are available for purchase in schools, known as competitive foods or Smart Snacks, must also follow certain standards. Established in 2016, these standards evaluate added sugar differently than school meals, focusing on total sugar by weight. Consequently, many snacks still contain excessive added sugars and artificial ingredients, and high school students can sometimes buy sugar-sweetened beverages on campus.
Copycat or lookalike products are those that have been reformulated to comply with school meal or Smart Snack standards. For instance, Doritos sold under the Child Nutrition/K-12 label are slightly lower in sodium and fat compared to the retail version, while school Pop-Tarts contain more fiber but only slightly less added sugar than those found in stores.
Competitive foods are present in schools primarily due to tight nutrition budgets. While schools receive federal reimbursements averaging $4.70 for lunch and less than $3 for breakfast, these amounts often fall short of covering the total costs of feeding students. Thus, school nutrition departments may resort to selling less nutritious items to maintain financial stability.
The USDA plans to update school nutrition standards starting in the 2026-2027 school year to correspond with the newly released 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines. Following disputes during the Trump administration regarding prior Dietary Guidelines, the specific changes to school nutrition guidelines remain uncertain.
Before finalizing new school nutrition standards, the USDA must navigate the federal rulemaking process, which begins with a proposed rule open for public commentary. This allows stakeholders to express their opinions on the future of school nutrition standards.