Since the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010, there has been a national shift in the caliber of food provided to children in schools. The impacts of the Act have been substantial, as effective programs have been created and modified, and state-level laws passed since have mandated that foods provided meet certain nutritional standards.
HHFKA required states to pass laws with stricter nutrition standards. In compliance with it, states started requiring that school districts provide access to five food components (milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat/meat alternatives), educate students on having a healthy diet, and encourage their healthy choices.
North Carolina’s laws and standards have not changed much since HHFKA, though the state did and does comply generally with the federal mandates that passed after it. For a list of the relevant regulations and policies that impact school food standards, you can visit the NC DPI website. You will notice that as required by federal law, NC schools do provide all five food components and require that students select a fruit or vegetable along with two other components. Beyond that, NC school meal laws have not changed since the 1990s save for requiring access to breakfast for students in need.
In South Carolina, schools have the power to create their own menus that comply with USDA nutritional standards. At the state level, beyond requiring equal access of meals to students that meet USDA standards, South Carolina is relatively hands-off in their regulation. As such, schools can choose to implement stricter regulations than required by federal or state laws.
Both states do a good job of providing foods that are accessible for students in need, diversified among the five food components, and limited in calories and trans-fats. But, there are few regulations on ingredients or additives in school food between the two states (indeed, this is true nationwide). North Carolina does regulate beverages and snacks sold on school campuses, but not really beyond the USDA’s Smart Snacks standards. Both states require a limitation on sugar, sodium, and trans-fats in school foods.
That said, as data continues to surface about the impact of certain food additives and ingredients on hyperactivity, neurobehavioral issues, and other health issues in children, states are not keeping up with policies regarding those additives. No state, save for California, has considered their options against on food additives like Red 40, Yellow 5, and others linked to these concerns despite the fact that studies are demonstrating their connection with neurological issues.
Both North and South Carolina are in the bottom 25 percent of states for ADHD diagnoses in children, with North Carolina having 12.1 percent of children diagnosed and South Carolina having 12.7 percent of children diagnosed. For context, only 6.1 percent of children in California (the only state that has implemented stricter regulations on additives in school food) have been diagnosed with ADHD.
North and South Carolina should be empowered to know their options when it comes to providing nutritious foods to their students, especially since data continue to surface that showing that food additives can be as harmful as sugar, sodium, and trans-fats.