SALT LAKE CITY — School lunches are a bit healthier this year as the U.S. Department of Agriculture is lowering the amount of sodium allowed in meals prepared at schools for the 2023-2024 school year.
The amount of sodium allowed varies depending on grade level.
For children in kindergarten through fifth grade, 1,110 mg of sodium are allowed in each school lunch. That's 120 mg less than last year.
For middle school students, the threshold was lowered by 135 mg to 1,225 mg.
High school lunches are allowed 1,280 mg of sodium.
“It's really important that children are exposed to less sodium at a younger age so therefore they make healthier choices as they grow up,” said Kathleen Britton, the director of child nutrition for the Utah State Board of Education.
High levels of sodium in a person’s diet can lead to heart disease or high blood pressure.
Britton explained that the changes mean school cafeterias will have to make adjustments.
“It's not like they can't have any sodium, it’s how you pair it with other items that you’re eating in your meals,” she said. “They are incorporating herbs and spices in meals to lower sodium and they have done a lot of outreach to find products that can fit into meals at a lower sodium rate.”
What do the new requirements look like for an average lunch?
A roast beef sandwich topped with lettuce, onions and tomatoes and paired with chips and soda would not meet the new standard.
But if you pair the same sandwich with fresh grapes, a granola bar and flavored water to wash it down, the sodium tally does meet the requirement for a middle school or high school lunch.
Changes to meet the new requirements won't sacrifice taste, rather, they'll just include subtle, healthy swaps.
"They are incorporating herbs and spices in meals to lower sodium and they have done a lot of outreach to find products that can fit into meals at a lower sodium rate," Britton said.
The changes likely won’t end this year.
A proposal by the USDA is being considered that would lower the amount of sodium allowed in school lunches to less than 1,000 mg for all grade levels by 2029.
Any changes to health standards for school meals for future school years could be finalized by this fall.
