California Moves to Eliminate Ultraprocessed Foods from School Lunches - by 2035

"California's "Real Food, Healthy Kids Act" represents the first law in the U.S. to define and ban ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) from public school lunches. As reported by CNN, the bill requires scientists and public health experts to determine which ingredients and additives are most damaging to children's health. These "foods of concern" will then be systematically phased out of school meal programs that serve over 1 billion lunches annually."

"They're engineered for taste, not nutrition, designed to hit what researchers call the "bliss point" - the perfect ratio of sugar, salt, and fat that overrides natural appetite control. This is why your child craves chips or cookies long after feeling full. The consequences are not just temporary weight gain but deep metabolic harm that starts early and compounds with time."

"Recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that nearly two-thirds of the average U.S. child's daily calories come from these factory-made foods. This decision follows mounting evidence that ultraprocessed foods - those heavily manufactured with emulsifiers, thickeners, and artificial flavors - are fueling an epidemic of poor health among children."

California's "Real Food, Healthy Kids Act," signed into law on October 8, 2025, prohibits ultraprocessed foods from public school cafeterias by 2035. Nearly two-thirds of average U.S. children's daily calories come from ultraprocessed foods containing emulsifiers, thickeners, and artificial flavors. These foods are engineered to hit the "bliss point"—the optimal ratio of sugar, salt, and fat—that overrides natural appetite control, leading to overconsumption and metabolic harm. The law requires scientists and public health experts to identify the most damaging ingredients and additives, which will be systematically phased out from school meal programs serving over 1 billion lunches annually. This legislation marks a significant turning point in national debate over children's nutrition and corporate food supply control.

Read at Natural Health News