The nutrition standards for the USDA National School Lunch Program were updated in 2012, with changes requiring more fruits and vegetables. Most of the foods served in school meals come from commercial sources, but the USDA also offers foods to schools through a program called USDA Foods. This report examines changes in food choices in the USDA Foods program during the period 2006-2017 in response to revised nutrition standards. The report reveals that the value of fresh fruits and vegetables ordered from USDA Foods and distributed by the U.S. Department of Defense’s DoD Fresh program increased by 5 to 15 percent of the value of all USDA Foods orders.
Keywords: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Department of Defense (DoD), Foods in Schools Program, Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, National School Lunch Program, NSLP, Child Nutrition , USDA foods, USDA products, nutrition standards
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