The Milk Wars Are Back, and This Time Whole Milk Has Friends in High Places

A key item on the school lunch menu may change due to a surprising bipartisan effort.

In early April, lawmakers revived the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which was passed in the United States House in 2023. The bill, as the Associated Press explained, will expand milk options in schools to include skim, low-fat, 2%, and whole milk if it passes in the Senate. 

“Kids need wholesome, nourishing food to grow strong and stay healthy, and whole milk is packed with the nutrients they need,” John Fetterman, a Democrat Senator from Pennsylvania and a co-sponsor of the legislation, shared with reporters. 

Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, who introduced the Senate bill, stated in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing, “I think about whole milk growing up, where my grandparents delivered milk to us two or three times a week, and it was just part of our diet … and how important whole milk is… the Make America Healthy Again movement, it’s about whole foods. And I think we could characterize whole milk as part of that MAHA movement, as well.”

The bill also has the support of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who tweeted in March that his team is “encouraging programs to switch from low-fat dairy – which the antiquated Dietary Guidelines require them to promote — to full-fat/whole milk.” And if you take a peek at the bill’s co-sponsors, you’ll see a healthy mix of Rs and Ds throughout.

Here’s what you need to know about the bill and what experts say about milk choices in school.  

What does the bill say, explicitly? 

The bill states that it intends to modify the United States Department of Agriculture’s current regulations requiring milk to be fat-free or low-fat and “allow milk to be flavored or unflavored.” It adds, “The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. The milk that is offered may be organic or non-organic. Further, USDA may not prohibit a school participating in the program from offering students any of these milk choices.” 

The bill states that the current USDA regulations require that “the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories” in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). However, with this new bill, “fluid milk is excluded from the saturated fat content calculation; milk fat included in any fluid milk provided by the program must not be considered saturated fat for the purposes of measuring compliance with USDA regulations.”

Why was full-fat milk taken off school lunch menus?

As the Center for Science in the Public Interest explained, whole and reduced-fat (2%) milk were removed from the menu in 2012 to align with the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), which aim to limit saturated fat consumption among children. The organization also referenced the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which found “strong evidence” that diets lower in saturated fat and cholesterol during childhood “result in lower levels of LDL cholesterol.” 

It also stated that two critical childhood nutrition groups, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, advocate for low-fat and fat-free milk as the preferred drink for kids. Additionally, the USDA has recommended since 1985 that children over the age of 2 consume only low-fat or fat-free dairy. 

However, a 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies conducted by the University of Toronto found that children who drank whole milk had 40% lower odds of being overweight or obese compared to those who consumed reduced-fat milk, indicating that the science is mixed on this particular subject. 

What’s the difference between skim, 2%, and full-fat milk anyway? 

Skim milk, also known as fat-free milk, contains less than 0.5% milkfat, while low-fat milk has 1% milkfat, and reduced-fat milk, also referred to as 2% milk, contains 2% milkfat.

“The percentage on your milk container is the amount of fat in the milk by weight,” the National Dairy Council explained, adding that “whole milk is about 3.5% fat, and it’s the closest to the way it comes out of the cow.” 

Beyond fat percentages, the different types of milk also have varying calorie counts (the higher the fat, the higher the calories). This also affects the texture and taste of the milk. As you likely know, more fat contributes to that delicious factor and provides a creamier texture. Interestingly, the protein content of skim, low-fat, 2%, and whole milk is identical — approximately eight grams per serving — while the calcium content also remains consistent at 30% of your daily serving.

“While the fat content in milk may vary, you can feel good knowing that all cow’s milk contains the same 13 essential nutrients,” the National Dairy Council added. “This is true whether the milk is lactose-free, flavored, or organic.” 

So, what do the experts say? 

According to several nutrition experts, this bill may indeed be a great idea and a good way to get kids the nutrition they need.

“I believe that full-fat milk is a healthy option for kids. This is especially true among active kids who need steady energy,” shared Catherine Gervacio, a registered dietitian and certified exercise nutrition coach. Gervacio noted that full-fat milk provides calcium, vitamin D, and protein, stating, “All these nutrients are key for strong bones and overall development.” 

Tanvi Dalal, a Registered Dietitian and the founder of WellNest Nutrition, concurred, adding, “Full-fat milk should be part of school lunch programs because it can be part of a balanced diet for children.” Dalal also pointed out the hypocrisy in the USDA’s current guidelines that “ban whole milk but allow skim and low-fat chocolate and other flavored milks sweetened with added sugars, which is significantly worse.” 

Both experts also highlight that whole milk aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D, E, and K, which are critical to child development.

Dalal notes that while whole milk is nutrient-dense and some scientific evidence supports its benefits regarding saturated fat content, additional factors must be considered for school nutrition programs, including the “children’s dietary needs, overall fat intake, physical activity levels, and what percentage are lactose intolerant. We need more large-scale, long-term studies to determine the optimal dairy fat intake for children. In the meantime, offering both whole and low-fat milk could provide flexibility while aligning with evolving research.”