H.R. 2530: Healthy Lunch for Healthy Kids Act

This bill, known as the Healthy Lunch for Healthy Kids Act, aims to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act by introducing new dietary restrictions for foods served under the school lunch program. The key provisions of the bill are as follows:

Prohibited Foods

The bill seeks to prohibit schools from serving:

• Ultraprocessed foods, which are defined using the NOVA classification system.
• Foods that contain certain additives and ingredients, specifically:
  • Potassium bromate
  • Propylparaben
  • Titanium dioxide
  • Brominated vegetable oil
  • Yellow dye 5
  • Yellow dye 6
  • Blue dye 1
  • Blue dye 2
  • Green dye 3
  • Red dye 3
  • Red dye 40

Purpose of the Bill

The primary goal of the Healthy Lunch for Healthy Kids Act is to improve the nutritional quality of meals provided in schools, thereby promoting better health outcomes for children. By establishing these prohibitions, the bill aims to reduce the availability of potentially harmful ingredients and products in school lunches.

Legislative Process

The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce for further consideration. As it is in the early stages of the legislative process, it may undergo revisions or amendments before becoming law.

Implementation

If passed, schools participating in the National School Lunch Program would need to adjust their menus and food procurement processes to comply with the new restrictions. This could involve sourcing different food products and reformulating menus to exclude prohibited items.

Relevant Companies

• PEP (PepsiCo, Inc.) - As a major supplier of snacks and beverages, PepsiCo may need to reformulate some products or change their ingredients to comply with the bill's restrictions, particularly those concerning ultraprocessed foods and additives.
• KO (The Coca-Cola Company) - Similar to PepsiCo, Coca-Cola may be affected, especially if any of their school-offered products contain the prohibited additives.
• MDLZ (Mondelez International, Inc.) - As a leading snack company, Mondelez’s products served in schools could be impacted by the need to exclude certain artificial colors and ultraprocessed items.