Alignment of US School Lunches with the EAT-Lancet Healthy Reference Diet’s Standards for Planetary Health
December 2020
This article published in Health Affairs suggests that by modifying the nutrition standards of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) the United States could reduce climate change, promote human health outcomes, and lower food costs for schools. After analyzing more than 5,000 school lunches served in SY 2014-2015, researchers found that––according to the EAT-Lancet healthy reference diet––these meals contained excessive quantities of dairy, fruit, refined grains, red meat, and starchy vegetables but insufficient quantities of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and nuts. Moreover, their research indicates that schools could provide healthier, more environmentally sustainable meals at a lower cost than their current offerings.
Alignment of US School Lunches with the EAT-Lancet Healthy Reference Diet’s Standards for Planetary Health
December 2020
This article published in Health Affairs suggests that by modifying the nutrition standards of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) the United States could reduce climate change, promote human health outcomes, and lower food costs for schools. After analyzing more than 5,000 school lunches served in SY 2014-2015, researchers found that––according to the EAT-Lancet healthy reference diet––these meals contained excessive quantities of dairy, fruit, refined grains, red meat, and starchy vegetables but insufficient quantities of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and nuts. Moreover, their research indicates that schools could provide healthier, more environmentally sustainable meals at a lower cost than their current offerings.
