I think we can all agree that not much is getting done by Congress these days. They failed to come to an agreement to extend health insurance subsidies for millions of people. Yet, they did manage to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 (WMFHK.)
President Trump touted this as a boon to dairy farmers and Robert Kennedy Jr. thinks it is healthier for kids. But do either of these things really move the needle?
The press jumped on board and whipped this issue into a froth, so I decided to take a closer look.
First, let’s consider the health benefits.
Whole milk has about 3-3.5% milk fat. So 2% milk has about 1% less fat that whole milk. It’s not really that much less.
- Fat carries vitamin A, which is important for health. Milk has been fortified with vitamins A and D since the 1930s.
- Fat is essential for brain and nerve development. Experts agree that the benefits come before the age of two. By the time kids get in school, the time when fat content is essential has passed.
- The amount of saturated fats in a serving of whole milk contributes 5 grams, or 25%, of the recommended daily value. Saturated fats should be limited to 10% of total calories. Just as a sanity check, a teaspoon of butter, about the amount for buttering toast, contributes 15%.) WMFHK gives the fat from milk exemption from the total calculation. The net result is a potential for more calories and fat to be consumed by children.
Next, let’s consider the benefits to farmers.
I struggle to see how this would work. After all, whole milk comes from a cow and then gets processed.
- Whole milk is homogenized, reduced fat milk has fat removed that can then be processed into butter, cream cheese, whipping cream, and half-and-half.
- Some kids may prefer whole milk over the reduced fat versions.
- Schools have the option to offer whole milk. It’s not a requirement.
- Kids that prefer non-dairy beverages will now have easier access to alternatives.
Here’s a Comparison Chart:
| Statutory Provision | Current Regulatory Requirement (prior to WMFHK Act) | Updated Requirement (with WMFHK) |
|---|---|---|
| Types of Fluid Milk | Schools may offer low-fat and fat-free milk. Milk with higher fat content is not creditable. Milk may be unflavored or flavored. Flavored milk must contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces. Schools may offer nondairy beverages that are nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk only upon request for dietary needs that are not disabilities and must notify the state agencies if such beverages are offered.7 CFR 210.10(d)(1) | Schools may offer whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free fluid milk and lactose-free fluid milk, and nondairy beverages that are nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk. Milk may be unflavored or flavored. Flavored milk must contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces.If a school chooses to offer nondairy beverages to all students, the school is no longer required to notify the state agency that it is serving nondairy beverages and students who require a fluid milk substitute for a non-disability reason are no longer required to submit a written statement requesting a nutritionally equivalent fluid milk substitute. |
| Dietary Specifications -Saturated Fat | School lunches offered to all age/grade groups must, on average over the school week, provide less than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat.7 CFR 210.10(f)(2) | Schools may exclude the saturated fat from fluid milk when calculating the weekly average saturated fat requirement for lunch.All other dietary specifications (including calories, sodium and beginning July 1, 2027, added sugars) still apply. |
| Modifications for Disability Reasons | Schools, on receipt of a written statement from a state-licensed health care professional or registered dietitian, were required to provide a substitute for fluid milk for students whose disability restricts their diet.7 CFR 210.10(m)(1) | Schools, on receipt of a written statement from a state-licensed health care professional, registered dietitian, or parent or guardian, are required to provide a substitute for fluid milk for students whose disability restricts their diet. This applies only to meal modifications for fluid milk substitutes at lunch. |
I think we can still agree that not much is getting done by Congress these days.
Apparently, it’s taken a 10-year concerted effort to get whole milk sorta back in school: On a voluntary basis. And, it’s now easier to avoid dairy milk altogether.
Seem like we filled up a leaky cow trough using a chipped teacup. Lots of effort and nothing gained.