After years off the menu, New York Schools are looking to bring back whole milk to cafeterias across New York State.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, which will allow schools across the country to begin offering whole and 2% milk again, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Whole Milk Returns to New York Schools

CanvaWhole Milk Returns to New York Schools

President Trump signed the act on January 14th, 2026, paving the way for schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to bring back whole and 2% milk again alongside other lower-fat options. The act amends part of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, which prevented schools serving milk through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program from offering select milk options.

Whole Milk Banned in New York Schools

CanvaMilk Ban at Schools

Back in the 2000s, many New York schools began to “improve” lunch programs by phasing out whole and 2% milk, and in 2010, the national Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 led to the removal of whole and 2% milk from schools. By 2012, federal regulations required milk to be fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) and allowed milk to be flavored or unflavored.

Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025

Effective immediately, the previous milk restrictions are lifted, which should be great news for New York dairy farmers. Schools participating in the NSLP are now permitted to offer students more milk options, including whole, reduced-fat (2%), low-fat (1%), and others (see full list below). Schools can also offer flavored, organic, or nonorganic and nondairy beverages, which must be nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk and meet the USDA nutritional standards.

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All milk options must meet State and local standards and are required to be pasteurized. The following milk options (flavored or unflavored) may be offered to all students at school lunch:

Whole, reduced-fat (2%), low-fat (1%), and fat-free (skim) milkLactose-free and lactose-reduced milkCultured milk, such as cultured buttermilk, cultured kefir milk, and culturedAcidophilus milkAcidified milk, such as acidified kefir milk and acidified acidophilus milkUltra-high temperature (UHT) milk

Read more about the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 online here.

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