A massive year-end federal spending law doesn’t allow schools to opt out of healthier meal standards, but it will ease standards that require more whole grains in school foods.
The legislation also delays rules to make school meals less salty, which were to go into effect in 2017.
Some school nutrition directors have lobbied for a break from the standards, which have been phased in since 2012, saying they have proved to be costly and restrictive. Some students don’t like the meals, either.
