by Marion Nestle
Oct 14 2025

California defines ultra-processed foods and bans them from school meals—by 2035 (!)

California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has just signed the bill, “Pupil nutrition: restricted school foods and ultraprocessed foods of concern: prohibition.”

This bill prohibits ultra-processed foods in federally funded school meals (K-12, breakfast and lunch), as well as competitive foods sold as snacks.

This means that

From the midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official schoolday, at each school, the only competitive foods that may be sold to a pupil are fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein, or whole grain rich food items; foods with a fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein, or whole grain item as its first ingredient; or combination foods containing at least one-quarter cup of fruit or vegetable.

These foods must also meet the following standards:

(1) Not more than 35 percent of its total calories shall be from fat. [This does not apply to individually sold portions of nuts, nut butters, seeds, seed butters, reduced-fat cheese or part-skim mozzarella cheese packaged for individual sale, eggs, fruits, vegetables that have not been deep fried, seafood, or a dried fruit and nut and seed combination.]
(2) Less than 10 percent of its total calories shall be from saturated fat. [This does not apply to reduced-fat cheese or part-skim mozzarella cheese packaged for individual sale, eggs, nuts, nut butters, seeds, seed butters, or a dried fruit and nut and seed combination.]
(3) Not more than 35 percent of its total weight shall be composed of sugar, including naturally occurring and added sugar. [This does not apply to fruits, vegetables that have not been deep fried, or a dried fruit and nut and seed combination.]
(4) Contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.
(5) Contains not more than 200 milligrams of sodium per item, package, or container sold to a pupil.
(6) Contains not more than 200 calories per individual food item.
And then, beginning December 31, 2027, competitive foods may not contain color additives:
(A) Blue 1
(B) Blue 2
(C) Green 3
(D) Red 40
(E) Yellow 5
(F) Yellow 6
This is terrific, but don’t hold your breath.  The timeline:
  • June 1, 2028: The State Department of Public Health adopts regulations.
  • July 1, 2029: Schools begin to phase out restricted school foods
  • July 1, 2032: Vendors cannot offer restricted foods.
  • July 1, 2035: bill fully implemented.

Really?  Ten years to make this happen?  A lot can happen in that time….

Press reports

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