The Institute of Medicine has undertaken a study to review and provide recommendations to update the nutrition standard and the meal standards for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Programs. The recommendations are to reflect new developments in nutrition science, increase the availability of key food groups in the school meal programs, and allow these programs to better meet the nutritional needs of children, foster healthy eating habits, and safeguard children’s health. The study will have two reports. The first report (Phase I) has been issued for comment and outlines the criteria and process for the needed decision-making.  The second report (Phase II) will specify the updated nutrition standards and meal standards. Visit our Current Projects System for the full statement of task and committee membership.

In addition, this study has now been expanded to provide recommendations for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Targeted work on CACFP will begin at the time the Phase II report for the school lunch and breakfast programs is completed (approximately October 2009), and will build on the information and recommendations resulting from that work. A new study committee will be convened  and include, as appropriate, members of the existing school lunch and breakfast committee along with other newly identified experts.

Release of School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children, will be publicly released on October 20, 2009. All members of the public are invited to participate in a briefing that will be held on October 20, 2009 from 10:00-11:00 am EDT, in the Holeman Lounge the National Press Club at 529 14^th Street, NW Washington, DC 20045. Please contact Julia Hoglund at jhoglund@nas.edu to register.

The Phase I Report for this study has been released. Please click here for a free electronic download. This report describes the approach the committee intends to use in making recommendations during Phase II of its study.  

Sponsor

The study is supported by the US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

Project Timeline and Activities

This is a 24-month study, beginning in February 2008. The Phase I report was released December 17, 2008. The Phase II report is anticipated in prepublication format during October 2009. The expansion of the study to include CACFP has now extended the study through February 2011. The CACFP report is expected to be released in October 2010.

Meetings

• The first meeting of the Committee was held June 10-11, 2008 in Washington, DC. During the open public session of this meeting, the USDA sponsors presented background information.
• The second meeting of the Committee was held on July 9-10, 2008 in Washington, DC, and included an open public workshop on July 9. The workshop functioned as an information-gathering activity. A range of perspectives on the study tasks was presented and comments from interested parties were offered. 
• The third committee meeting was held September 23-24, 2008 in Washington, DC. This was a closed meeting.
• The fourth committee meeting was held January 28-29, 2009 in Washington, DC. This meeting included a public forum on January 28, 2009 in order for the committee to receive input on its Phase I Report.  
• The fifth committee meeting was held March 5-6, 2009 in Washington, DC. This was a closed meeting.
• The sixth committee meeting was held May 5-6 in Irvine, CA. This was a closed meeting.
• The seventh committee meeting was held July 13-14, 2009 in Washington, DC. This was a closed meeting.
  
  Please contact Heather Breiner, Program Associate, with questions about this project at HBreiner@nas.edu.