School Nutrition Guidelines: What the New Dietary Guidelines Mean for Cafeterias

The newest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released last week, prompting many to ask how it may impact school nutrition programs. A highlighted recommendation of the new guidelines is an increased emphasis on the consumption of ‘real food’ and a reduction in processed, especially ultra-processed, foods that contain refined carbohydrates, added sugars, excess sodium, unhealthy fats, and chemical additives. Long before the release of these guidelines, we began to see a quiet but meaningful shift taking place in school cafeterias towards these guidelines.

To understand why these questions matter now, it helps to look back.

During the height of the COVID pandemic, school nutrition programs were tasked with an unprecedented challenge of getting as much food out the door as efficiently, safely, and consistently as possible. In many cases, that meant leaning heavily on pre-packaged and heat-and-serve models. These approaches were not philosophical choices. They were necessary operational decisions made under extraordinary circumstances.

Before COVID, however, many districts had already made meaningful progress toward speed scratch cooking. They were rebuilding culinary skills, increasing scratch components, reducing reliance on highly processed foods, and increasing the sourcing of foods purchased locally. The pandemic paused that momentum.

Now, as operations stabilize, districts are intentionally shifting again. This is not a return to the past. It is a move forward with clarity.

In response, we have been working alongside districts to re-establish menus that prioritize real cooking. That work includes reducing highly processed foods and designing speed scratch systems that respect labor realities while restoring culinary control. At the same time, districts are re-engaging with locally sourced ingredients, strengthening farm-to-school connections and increasing transparency around what is being served.

What is notable is that this movement is not being driven by mandates alone. It is being led by communities, school administrators and directors who recognize that opening a case or product and throwing things in an oven is fundamentally different from preparing food. Speed scratch cooking has re-emerged as the bridge between nutrition goals and operational feasibility. It allows schools to move away from full reliance on heat and serve and pre-packaged foods without returning to unrealistic labor models, as additional staffing might not be available.

In many ways, the updated Dietary Guidelines simply affirm what forward-thinking school nutrition programs already know. Less processing, fewer additives, and a renewed commitment to cooking lead to better outcomes. For districts doing this work now, the guidelines are not a disruption. They are validation.

In addition to the emphasis on ‘real foods’, it is also notable that the new guidelines encourage protein at each meal and support a larger variety of dairy products, including whole milk and full-fat dairy products. Standards to keep saturated fat consumption <10% of total daily calories remained consistent with the previous dietary guidelines. Ultimately, how the new Dietary Guidelines will affect the rules of USDA's school nutrition programs remains to be seen. School nutrition professionals should stay alert for further guidance and program rules changes that may result from the new guidelines.

Regardless, when students participate in high-quality meal programs, the impact is measurable and immediate. We have seen this most clearly in districts where breakfast programs are thoughtfully implemented and supported. Increased participation is associated with higher test scores, reduced tardiness, fewer visits to the nurse, and fewer behavioral issues during the school day. When meals are built around real food and prepared with intention, students eat them. When students eat, they are better prepared to learn. As schools return to cooking instead of simply heating, and as participation rebounds through meals students recognize and enjoy, the cafeteria becomes more than a service point. It becomes the heart of the school, a foundational part of the educational environment that supports student success far beyond the tray line.

As schools navigate the evolving nutrition landscape, this moment offers an opportunity to pause, reflect, and be intentional about what comes next. Returning to real cooking, investing in staff capacity, and prioritizing meals students want to eat are not quick fixes. They are long term commitments. For districts willing to take that step, the work begins not with policy alone, but with thoughtful conversation, collaboration, and a shared vision for how school meals can better support student success.

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