by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
Faculties that take part within the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Program and Faculty Breakfast Program are permitted to offer an allowable fluid milk substitute for cow’s milk for kids with no incapacity who can’t drink cow’s milk (for instance, for vegan youngsters). Faculties are required to offer an alternative choice to youngsters with medical situations corresponding to a life-threatening cow’s milk allergy.
Fluid milk substitutes, corresponding to plant milks, should meet specified dietary requirements, be requested in writing by a medical authority or the kid’s mum or dad or authorized guardian, and the varsity should cowl any bills that exceed program reimbursements (1).
For a plant milk to be thought of an allowable fluid milk substitute for the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Program or the Faculty Breakfast Program, a cup of plant milk should include at the very least 276 mg of calcium, 8 grams of protein, 500 IU of vitamin A, 100 IU of vitamin D, 24 mg of magnesium, 222 mg of phosphorus, 349 mg of potassium, 0.44 mg of riboflavin, and 1.1 mcg of vitamin B12. The milk may be flavored or unflavored (1).
We puzzled which plant milks meet these requirements. The Connecticut State Division of Training has developed a useful listing of merchandise which might be acceptable to be used of their faculty lunch applications (2, 3). Be aware that different manufacturers of acceptable milk could also be accessible in different areas of the nation. Some nationwide manufacturers on this listing embody:
- Pacific Meals Extremely Soy Authentic Plant-based Beverage quart aseptic container (meals service should pour 8-ounce parts)
- Kikkoman Pearl Natural Soymilk Sensible Authentic, Sensible Creamy Vanilla, Sensible Chocolate, 8 oz aseptic container
- Ripple Plant-based Milk Vanilla or Chocolate, 8 oz aseptic container
- 8th Continent Soymilk Authentic or Vanilla half gallon refrigerated container (meals service should pour 8-ounce parts)
Silk Soy Authentic additionally seems to fulfill the USDA’s necessities. There could also be different acceptable merchandise that aren’t on this listing.
This info could also be useful in the event you method an area faculty to request a fluid milk substitute. Right now, the varsity is just not required to fulfill your request for a kid with no incapacity. Every faculty foodservice decides which, if any, allowable fluid milk substitutes it makes use of. If one product is obtainable and the coed doesn’t settle for that product, the varsity foodservice is just not required to supply a distinct substitute.
References
- Meals and Vitamin Service, Division of Agriculture. Youngster Vitamin Applications: Meal Patterns Constant With the 2020–2025 Dietary Pointers for Individuals. 7 CFR Components 210, 215, 220, 225, and 226. https://www.govinfo.gov/content material/pkg/FR-2024-04-25/pdf/2024-08098.pdf. 2024.
- Connecticut State Division of Training. Allowable Fluid Milk Substitutes for Non-disability Causes within the Faculty Vitamin Applications. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SDE/Vitamin/NSLP/SpecDiet/Milk_Substitutes_SNP.pdf, revised 2025.
- Connecticut State Division of Training. Listing of Acceptable Meals and Drinks. Dairy Options. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sde/diet/hfc/fblist/acceptablefoodslist17.pdf?rev=933d1db3f7914464af4cb93f6f6c81bd&hash=1BBDF40F428A86726549F49683315792. Revised, November 2025.
For extra details about faculty meals see:
USDA Points Revisions to Youngster Vitamin Applications
Getting Vegan Meals into Faculties
Vegan Choices in a California Faculty
Vegan Choices in Portland, ME Faculty Lunch
The contents of this web site and our different publications, together with The Vegan Journal, will not be supposed to offer private medical recommendation. Medical recommendation needs to be obtained from a professional well being skilled. We regularly rely on product and ingredient info from firm statements. It’s unattainable to be 100% positive a couple of assertion, data can change, individuals have completely different views, and errors may be made. Please use your greatest judgment about whether or not a product is appropriate for you. To make certain, do additional analysis or affirmation by yourself.
