USDA Expands Plant-Based Options In Schools: “Sets the Groundwork for Lifetime Health”

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently introduced substantial changes to its school meal standards, expanding access to plant-based meal options for students across the country. 

Effective as of July 1, 2024, these new guidelines are designed to offer more nutritious food choices that cater to the growing demand for plant-based diets, particularly for vegetarian, vegan, and allergy-prone children. The changes allow schools to incorporate plant-based proteins such as beans, peas, lentils, and nuts into daily meal programs, providing healthier alternatives to traditional meat dishes. 

Under the new USDA guidelines, schools are required to provide a minimum of ¼ cup of beans, peas, or lentils as part of the weekly meat alternative component in meals, ensuring students receive adequate plant-based protein options throughout the week.

The guidelines also reduce the focus on processed and high-fat foods, aligning with the USDA’s broader goal to improve student health by following the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

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These adjustments reflect the critical role school meals play in children’s daily nutrition, particularly in low-income communities where school food may be the most reliable source of healthy meals. The USDA’s new rules aim to enhance children’s overall health, specifically focusing on long-term cardiovascular health by providing more fiber-rich, cholesterol-free options.

And these changes are a step forward toward preventing heart disease, the longstanding, number one killer of Americans.

Managing cholesterol and promoting heart health in children

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease currently affects more than 18 million adults in the US. Nearly 795,000 Americans suffer from stroke every year, which results in more than 140,000 deaths. One key factor in preventing this health crisis starts in childhood. 

“Based on my years of service, I have come to realize that early-stage feeding patterns influence a child’s health significantly,” Michael Lahey, MD, a preventive medicine physician, tells VegNews. 

“Improved and enhanced nutrient intake in childhood sets up the basis of cardiovascular health at later adulthood,” Lahey says. 

The new USDA guidelines encourage schools to replace meat with plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils, and nuts, which are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fats. The new guidelines are important for children’s health, particularly as research mounts around the role animal products play in atherosclerosis, characterized by narrowed arteries due to plaque buildup, and is often linked to poor dietary habits, including high cholesterol intake, unhealthy fats, and sugars.

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Conversely, whole food, plant-based diets, when introduced early in life, can help manage cholesterol and support heart health. “These diets are low in saturated fats and cholesterol, which are the main culprits of undesirable cholesterol levels,” Lahey says.

Foods rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, are essential for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, as fiber helps the body expel cholesterol. Antioxidants from plant foods also protect the cardiovascular system by reducing blood vessel inflammation, a major factor in the development of heart diseases like atherosclerosis.

“Recent studies suggest that children be discouraged from consuming processed snacks, fried foods, sugary drinks, and fatty meats,” Lahey says, adding that these foods tend to increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, which negatively impacts heart health.

Bean dips as “Smart Snacks”

Another specific change in the USDA guidelines is the newfound flexibility around plant-based dips like hummus. Under the new rules, hummus and other bean dips made from beans, peas, or lentils are now exempt from the total fat standard, allowing schools to offer them as part of the USDA’s Smart Snack program. This means that hummus, a protein- and fiber-rich dip, can now be sold in school cafeterias as a healthier snack option.

The USDA intentionally used the term “bean dip” to include a variety of similar dips beyond hummus, promoting a broader range of plant-based snacks for children. This exemption was widely supported by stakeholders for its nutritional value.

This change gives children access to high-quality macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—which Lahey says, “are critical nutrients for child development because, in addition to their immediate sources of energy, they are also important for a child’s overall health in the future.”

Carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables should be the primary energy source for children, while plant-based proteins such as soy, beans, nuts, and seeds are effective alternatives to meat. 

Healthy fats found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil, Lahey adds, are crucial for brain development and cellular growth. 

The long-term benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet for children include more than cholesterol management and have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancers.

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The nutrients found in plant-based diets play a vital role in maintaining immune function, promoting healthy digestion, and supporting brain function. By incorporating more plant-based options into school meals, and positioning them as replacements for animal-derived meat, the USDA is helping to lay the groundwork for children’s long-term health.

“These diets come with nutrients such as vitamins that ensure the body is healthy, minerals that enhance the immune system, and phytonutrients that help in preventing inflammation,” Lahey says. “Furthermore, there is the development of right digestion, proper brain functioning, increased energy, and set the groundwork for lifetime health for those on plant-based diets.”