By Olivia Wynkoop
Bay City News Foundation
State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, is calling for lower sugar, salt and fat levels and more whole grains in California K-12 school meals in a new senate bill introduced on Wednesday.
If passed, Senate Bill 348 would require schools who participate in the National School Lunch Program to follow the recent national school nutrition standards set by the Biden Administration on Feb. 3.
California schools would also be required to seek out federal funds for childhood nutrition programs to ensure students can access free school meals during the summer.
Skinner previously authored legislation in 2021 that allowed California public school students the ability to access two free school lunches a day.
Skinner hopes setting stricter nutrition standards for these lunches, which make up over half the calories some students consume in a day, can mitigate the risk of children developing diabetes, which is the most common chronic disease for school children.
“Research shows that providing nutritious meals to students will not only improve their health but also lead to better academic outcomes in the classroom,” Skinner added. “With our abundance of delicious, fresh-grown, nutritious food, California should have the nation’s healthiest children, and SB 348 will put the needs of kids first.”
Under SB 348, California public schools would be compliant with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation that school children do not consume more than 25 grams of added sugar a day.
“It’s time that California makes changes to reduce the burden of diabetes on future generations in our state,” said Chief Advocacy Officer of the American Diabetes Association, Lisa Murdock.
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