Title: School Lunch Guidelines and Controversy
Headings: School Lunch Guidelines and Controversy
School Lunch Guidelines and Controversy
The School Lunch Guidelines
Funding Considerations
Common Criticisms
Overreach
Meal Appeal
Cost
Sufficient Calorie Content
Options for Schools
Opt-Out
Exemption or Delay

Content: The maximum calorie limit for the meal increases with age, ranging from 650 calories for elementary-age students to up to 850 calories for high school students. 5 ﻿
Some people fear that highly active students or those who are very large for their age will not get enough calories to sustain themselves throughout the school day. Options for Schools
While the majority of school districts are working hard to comply with the new standards, some are refusing to adopt the new lunch standards. For schools that decide that the new guidelines simply won't work for them, there are two main options: Opt-Out
When a public school or district decides to opt-out of the USDA School Lunch program, they are no longer required to comply with the standards. But opting out can come at a steep cost: Because schools that opt-out cannot receive reimbursement for free and reduced lunch programs that are offered to children from low-income families, they have to cover the cost of those meals themselves if they choose to offer them. Often, schools in this camp increase paid lunch prices to cover the difference. However, some schools in high poverty areas rely so much on lunch funds from USDA reimbursement that they may not be able to consider leaving the programs at all. Exemption or Delay
In May of 2017, guideline updates were made at the federal level, and schools now have at least three years to meet the new requirements.