Crediting Foods in School Nutrition Programs

Milk

The crediting guidance and resources below include the changes to the NSLP, SBP, and ASP meal patterns required by the USDA final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025. For more information, visit the "Upcoming Meal Pattern Changes" section of the CSDE's Meal Patterns for Grades K-12 in School Nutrition Programs webpage.

The milk component requires fluid milk. Milk must be pasteurized, meet all state and local requirements, and contain vitamins A and D at levels specified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).


Allowable Types of Milk  |   Serving Requirements  |   Crediting Guidance
Smoothies   |   Milk Substitutes  |   Milk Variety Exemption for RCCIs


Allowable Types of Milk

The meal patterns for the school nutrition programs have different requirements for the milk component. These requirements address the fat content of milk and restrictions for flavored milk. The allowable types of milk for each meal pattern are indicated below.

In addition to regular milk, allowable milk options also include the following types of fluid milk that meet the required fat content and flavored milk restrictions for each meal pattern: lactose-free milk, lactose-reduced milk, acidified milk (e.g., acidified kefir milk and acidified acidophilus milk), cultured milk (e.g., cultured buttermilk, cultured kefir milk, and cultured acidophilus milk), and Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk.


Note: The information for allowable types of milk is based on the USDA’s guidance in USDA Memo SP 01-2026: Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 – Implementation Requirements for the National School Lunch Program and is subject to change. Additional guidance from the USDA may impact how the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 applies to school nutrition programs other than the NSLP, including the SBP, SSO, ASP, and SMP. The CSDE will update this information as the USDA issues future guidance.


  • NSLP meal patterns for grades K-12: Effective January 14, 2026, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to revise the milk requirements for the NSLP.  Allowable types of milk include whole, reduced-fat (2%), low-fat (1%), and fat-free, which may be unflavored or flavored. Flavored milk must meet the limit for added sugars. School food authorities (SFAs) may choose which types of milk to offer but must serve a variety of milk, i.e., at least two different choices of fat content or flavor, including at least one unflavored choice.
  • SBP meal patterns for grades K-12: Allowable types of milk include low-fat and fat-free, which may be unflavored or flavored. Flavored milk must meet the limit for added sugars. SFAs may choose which types of milk to offer but must serve a variety of milk, i.e., at least two different choices of fat content or flavor, including at least one unflavored choice.
  • ASP meal pattern for grades K-12: Allowable types of milk include low-fat and fat-free, which may be unflavored or flavored. Flavored milk must meet the limit for added sugars. A milk variety is not required. SFAs may serve one type of allowable milk to all children.
  • NSLP, SBP, and ASP preschool meal patterns: Unflavored whole milk is required for age 1. Unflavored low-fat milk or unflavored fat-free milk is required for ages 2-5. Flavored milk is not allowed in the preschool meal patterns. A milk variety is not required. SFAs may serve one type of allowable milk to all children.
  • SMP: Allowable types of milk include low-fat and fat-free, which may be unflavored or flavored. Flavored milk must meet the limit for added sugars. A milk variety is not required. SFAs may serve one type of allowable milk to all children.

SFAs may offer any allowable milk options that meet the fat content and flavor restrictions indicated above for each school nutrition program. The guidance below addresses additional requirements and considerations for allowable milk.

  • Lactose-free milk and lactose-reduced milk (fluid milk): These types of milk are processed by adding lactase enzymes to reduce or eliminate the lactose (naturally occurring milk sugar) found in regular milk. Lactose-free/reduced milk is fluid milk and credits the same as regular milk in the meal patterns for the school nutrition programs. SFAs may choose to offer lactose-free/reduced milk as a fluid milk option for all children.
  • Added sugars limit for flavored milk in the NSLP, SBP, and ASP meal patterns for grades K-12 and the SMP: Effective July 1, 2025, flavored milk in reimbursable meals and afterschool snacks cannot exceed 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces. Flavored milk sold as a competitive food in middle and high schools cannot exceed 15 grams of added sugars per 12 fluid ounces. These limits also apply to the SMP. For more information, refer to the Institute of Child Nutrition's Nutrition Standards for Added Sugars: Flavored Milk Fact Sheet.
  • Additional milk requirements for public schools: In addition to the USDA meal pattern requirements above, all milk available for sale to students in public schools must meet the state beverage requirements for milk under Section 10-221q of the Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.). Milk cannot exceed 4 grams of sugars per fluid ounce and cannot contain artificial sweeteners. A list of milk that complies with the federal and state requirements is available in List 16: Milk on the CSDE's List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages webpage. 

Serving Requirements

  • Milk variety for grades K-12: School food authorities (SFAs) must offer a variety of milk (at least two different choices of fat content or flavor) at lunch and breakfast. At least one choice must be unflavored milk. The milk variety requirement does not apply to the preschool meal patterns or to the ASP or SMP.
  • Serving size: The minimum creditable amount is the full meal pattern serving, with an exception for milk in smoothies (refer to "Milk in Smoothies" below).
  • Milk coolers: Milk coolers cannot contain any other beverages than milk. SFAs cannot promote or offer water, juice, or any other beverage as an alternative selection to fluid milk throughout the food service area. 

Crediting Guidance

Milk in Smoothies

The minimum creditable amount of milk in a smoothie is ¼ cup. SFAs must have a standardized recipe or product formulation statement (PFS) to document the type and amount of milk in the smoothie serving.

Milk Substitutes for Non-disability Reasons


Note: The information for requests for fluid milk substitutes is based on the USDA’s guidance in USDA Memo SP 01-2026: Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 – Implementation Requirements for the National School Lunch Program and is subject to change. Additional guidance from the USDA may impact how the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 applies to school nutrition programs other than the NSLP, including the SBP, SSO, ASP, and SMP. The CSDE will update this information as the USDA issues future guidance.

Allowable fluid milk substitutes (nondairy beverages): SFAs may choose, but are not required, to offer one or fluid milk substitutes (nondairy beverages) for children who do not consume regular cow’s milk due to non-disability reasons. Fluid milk substitutes are plant-based beverages like fortified soy milk that are intended to replace cow's milk. Fluid milk substitutes for non-disability reasons must meet the USDA’s nutrition standards for fluid milk substitutes (7 CFR 210.10(d)(2)(ii)). Fluid milk substitutes require a written request from the parent/guardian, a state licensed healthcare professional, or a registered dietitian that identifies the reason for the milk substitute. Effective January 14, 2026, a written request is no longer required for fluid milk substitutes in the NSLP meal patterns for grades K-12. 

Additional requirements for fluid milk substitutes in public schools: In addition to meeting the USDA’s nutrition standards, all fluid milk substitutes available for sale to students in public schools must meet the state beverage requirements for nondairy milk under C.G.S. Section 10-221q. Nondairy milk substitutes cannot contain artificial sweeteners and cannot exceed 4 grams of sugar per fluid ounce, 35 percent of calories from fat, and 10 percent of calories from saturated fat. A list of milk that complies with the federal and state requirements is available in List 17: Dairy Alternative Beverages on the CSDE's List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages webpage.

Milk Variety Exemption for Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs)

RCCIs that are juvenile detention centers or correctional facilities may meet the milk variety requirement over the week, rather than daily, if there are potential legitimate safety concerns regarding offering different types of milk to students. For example, a RCCI may offer all students flavored fat-free milk on some days of the week and unflavored low-fat milk on other days. This provision also applies to any other RCCIs that can demonstrate operational limitations to separating the grade groups and can show legitimate safety concerns if students are served different portions. To implement this provision, the RCCI must submit a waiver request to the CSDE.