California’s Real Food, Healthy Kids Act mandates the removal of ultra-processed foods from public school menus by July 2035, but a new study warns that could be hard to implement.
California public schools are set to begin phasing out certain ultra-processed foods starting in July 2029 under legislation aimed at improving the nutritional quality of school meals.
The Real Food, Healthy Kids Act, also known as AB 1264, requires schools to eliminate specified ultra-processed foods considered harmful to children’s health from menus by July 1, 2035.
Efforts to improve the nutritional quality of school meals could bring significant health benefits for children, but a new Stanford Medicine study suggests the transition could present significant financial and logistical challenges for school districts. Similar efforts are also under way in the UK, where new school food standards are due to come into force in 2027.
It’s easy to say, ‘Let’s remove ultra-processed foods from school meals,’ but school districts will likely face many challenges in implementing this policy.”
Anisha Patel, MD, Professor of Paediatrics, Stanford Medicine.
Budget and procurement concerns
Researchers interviewed food service directors from 20 school districts in California’s San Joaquin Valley to identify the main barriers to removing ultra-processed foods from school menus.
The directors highlighted budget constraints, staffing shortages, difficulties procuring suitable foods and inadequate kitchen infrastructure as their biggest concerns.
Ultra-processed foods are generally inexpensive and can be heated and served with minimal kitchen equipment. Replacing them with less-processed alternatives could therefore increase costs for schools, according to the researchers.
California began providing free meals to all K-12 public school pupils in 2021, with federal and state funding reimbursing districts around $4.60 per lunch served.
”That has been something positive for school districts: Universal school meals increased participation, which brought more money to districts’ food service programs,” said Dr Andrea Pedroza-Tobias, an affiliate in general paediatrics at Stanford Medicine.
However, she said additional funding would probably be needed to implement the new requirements.
It’s an investment in the future of these kids. For many California children, two of the three meals they eat per day come from their schools.”
Dr Andrea Pedroza-Tobias, Affiliate, General Paediatrics, Stanford Medicine.
Kitchens and staffing
School food service directors also raised concerns about staffing and kitchen capacity. Many schools rely on part-time employees to heat and serve meals, while scratch cooking requires additional skills and preparation time.
Some schools also lack kitchens capable of preparing food from scratch. Amanda Harvey, Director of Nutrition Services for Fresno Unified School District, said her team had considered preparing sandwiches in elementary schools but found their kitchens did not meet local permitting requirements.
“They said, ‘In order to get these 50 schools permitted, you would need to add new sinks, drains and hoods,’” Harvey said.
The required upgrades would have cost millions of dollars, according to Harvey.
Supporting the transition
Researchers found that some districts had used grants to help fund changes, although temporary funding could make long-term planning difficult.
One district had successfully introduced more scratch cooking after its food service director combined culinary and nutrition expertise with extensive engagement with pupils and families.
The researchers now say their findings could help policymakers and school districts prepare for the changes.
“Moving from ultra-processed food to scratch cooking requires an upfront investment, but healthier school meals can pay off in the long term by preventing health care costs associated with diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said Anisha Patel.
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