Texas and Louisiana take action on food additives in school meals

Also in this week’s K-12 Legislative Update: Delaware lawmakers pass universal free school breakfast bill and California’s budget earmarks funding to continue universal free school meals. July 1, 2025

Also in this week’s K-12 Legislative Update: Delaware lawmakers pass universal free school breakfast bill and California’s budget earmarks funding to continue universal free school meals.

July 1, 2025

It was busy at the state level this week, with Louisiana and Texas taking steps to eliminate certain additives from school meals; Delaware lawmakers passing a bill that would provide free school breakfast to all public school students; and California renewing its commitment to universal free school meals.

Here’s the latest in school nutrition legislation.

Texas and Louisiana have become the latest states to pass legislation banning certain food dyes and additives from free or reduced-price school meals.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott, signed SB 314 into law which prohibits potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, yellow dye No. 5, green dye No. 3 and other additives from being used in school meals.

In Louisiana, the senate and house have passed SB 14 which would also ban potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, yellow dye No. 5, green dye No. 3 and other additives from school breakfast and lunch.

The bill is waiting to be signed by Governor Jeff Landry.

Additives in school meals have been in the spotlight as of late. Many states, including Wisconsin and Minnesota, have introduced legislation that would eliminate certain food dyes and additives from being served under The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

Related:Participation in CEP continues to rise, but proposed cuts to SNAP threaten its growth

Delaware students are close to receiving free breakfast at school when they return to classrooms this fall.

Lawmakers have passed a substitute to HB 91 which would provide free breakfast to all public-school students in the state regardless of their family’s income level.

The bill is now headed to Governor Matt Meyer’s desk.

If signed into law, Delaware will join other states, including Pennsylvania, in providing universal free school breakfast.

California students will continue to receive free meals at school this fall after California Governor Gavin Newson signed the state’s budget bill into law.

The budget includes $91 million to continue to offer students free breakfast and lunch each day at school. In addition, it earmarks $160 million to go toward kitchen equipment grants, purchasing local food for school nutrition programs and staff recruitment and retention.

California was one of the first states to adopt a universal free school meals program. Since its implementation, school nutrition operators have noticed an increase in student meal participation and a drop in the number of free and reduce price meal applications.

Related:Cherry Creek School District: Serving up knowledge about how that food came to be on students’ plates