School meals raise eyebrows as MAHA advocates urge ‘different choices in the lunch line’

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement has parents and lawmakers across the country jumping on board to help bring about bold changes to school nutrition in this country.An Arizona bill that would remove additives from school lunches passed the House, while a Texas bill has legislators debating whether to remove artificial food dyes from food served in schools.Tiffany Justice, the Virginia-based founder of the parental rights nonprofit group Moms for Liberty, told Fox News Digital the MAHA movement is very important – and something parents can connect with, she said.EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT MAHA”We’re learning that things like even the food pyramid, the dietary guidelines that have been given to us, the suggestions that our kids’ lunches are tailored around — are actually not what is best for humans and the human body in development,” said Justice.Parents and students have shared photos of their school lunches on social media in an effort to draw attention to nutrition.The mother of four said it’s challenging for parents to know whom to trust when it comes to their kids’ nutrition. “It’s hard for parents to wrap their heads around the fact that there are companies that are targeting our children in commercials to get them to eat food that is actually toxic for them,” she said.WATCH FULL INTERVIEW WITH DR. MARC SIEGEL AND RFK JR. ON FOX NATIONJustice spent time on the school board of the School District of Indian River County, Florida, volunteering in different classes and watching students make their lunch selections.She said she’s seen many kids choose chips over fruit since the options are right there in front of them. “If you look at the current dietary guidelines in the U.S., [they] prioritize carbohydrates over animal fats,” Justice said.But “if there are different choices in the lunch line, and the [kids are] hungry, they’re going to make choices and choose better food,” she added. PROPOSED BILL TO GIVE SCHOOLS FREEDOM ON MILK CHOICES AMID MAHA PUSHJustice said schools should look at eliminating bad sugars from lunch menus and adding items that provide nutritional benefits. “[Adding] whole milk … so at least there’s some protein in there [and kids can get] the value of the milk” — that’s a good idea, she said.  “There’s just absolutely no reason for all of this fatty, sugary food to be in our schools and parents are waking up to it now,” she said. MAHA supporters are backing a recently introduced bill that seeks to give schools more freedom when it comes to student milk choices, such as whole milk.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERRep. Glenn Thompson, R-Penn., introduced The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act 2025, which would revise requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).”USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored,” the bill’s summary says.Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital it is important to make sure fresh produce is available for children. She said some schools are “doing a phenomenal job making fresh produce available for the children, having options that are there for them and encouraging children to try new foods and to enjoy those tastes.”For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyleShe added, “You’ve got a little dairy. You’ve got a little meat. You’ve got some fresh veggies. You’ve got few carbs that are in there. We all know that that needs to be a part of a healthy, growing child’s diet.” Fox News Digital’s Nicole Pelletiere contributed to this report.