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Expanding Fluid Milk Options in CNPs

June 4, 2026

Expanding Fluid Milk Options Interior cacfp.org

USDA released guidance on the implementation of the Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs Final Rule. As of June 8, 2026, all CACFP operators have the flexibility to serve whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk to all participants ages two and up in their programs. The guidance memo also clarifies that all milk options must be pasteurized and met State and local standards. The updated milk requirements are:

  • Fluid milk served to children age 1 must be unflavored whole milk;
  • Fluid milk served to children ages 2 through 5 may be unflavored whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk; and
  • Fluid milk served to children age 6 and older and adult participants may be unflavored or flavored, whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk.

Why It Matters

The expansion of fluid milk options allows operators to offer milk that meets the nutrition needs and preferences of those in their care. Importantly, this update provides more flexibility for CACFP operators without requiring any changes to current meal service practices. Operators have the discretion to decide which varieties of milk they will offer in their program.

Guidance

On May 8, 2026, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) published the final rule with comment period, Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs (91 FR 25073), effective June 8, 2026. This rule expands fluid milk options by allowing schools and child and adult care providers participating in Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) to offer whole and reduced-fat milk to participants two years and older.

This rule codifies milkfat requirements following enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 20251 (WMFHKA) (P.L. 119-69) and supports the statutory requirements for meals to align with the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–20302 (Guidelines). By removing previous fluid milkfat-content restrictions, this deregulatory rule restores flexibility to Program operators, allowing them to offer a greater variety of fluid milk options, including whole and reduced-fat milk, to meet the nutrition needs and preferences of the children and adults they serve. This memorandum provides information and guidance related to implementing the updated fluid milk options available to operators of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP), and the Special Milk Program for Children (SMP). The Summer Food Service Program is not included because meal requirements already allow for whole and reduced fat milk options.

Please note that for the NSLP, the provisions detailed below are already in effect. The WMFHKA, enacted on January 14, 2026, amended the National School Lunch Act3 by revising requirements for fluid milk provided in the NSLP. This law specifically allows schools to offer whole and reduced-fat milk in addition to low-fat and fat-free options at school lunch. It also allows school food authorities (SFAs) to exclude the saturated fat from fluid milk when calculating the weekly average saturated fat requirement at lunch. The final rule with comment period codifies these two provisions for both school breakfast and school lunch. FNA guidance4 addresses additional provisions that will be codified in future rulemaking.

Types of Fluid Milk

Current fluid milk requirements for the NSLP, SBP, CACFP, and SMP are as follows:

  • Children age 1 must be served unflavored whole milk;
  • Children ages 2 through 5 must be served unflavored low-fat or unflavored fat free milk; and
  • Children age 6 and older and adults must be served unflavored or flavored, low fat or fat-free milk.

This rule modifies these restrictions and permits schools and child and adult care providers to offer child and adult participants expanded fluid milk options. Effective June 8, 2026, CNP operators participating in NSLP (including NSLP afterschool snacks, the preschool meal pattern, and Smart Snacks in School), SBP (including the preschool meal pattern), CACFP, and SMP may offer children age 2 and older and adult participants whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free fluid milk to meet fluid milk requirements in these programs. The updated fluid milk requirements for each age group are summarized below:

  • Fluid milk served to children age 1 must be unflavored whole milk;
  • Fluid milk served to children ages 2 through 5 may be unflavored whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk; and
  • Fluid milk served to children age 6 and older and adult participants may be unflavored or flavored, whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk.

Fluid Milk Requirements

All milk options offered must be pasteurized and meet State and local standards for such milk. The following milk options meet the meal pattern requirements for fluid milk and may be offered to all Program participants:

  • whole, reduced-fat (2%), low-fat (1%) and fat-free (skim) milk;
  • lactose-free and lactose-reduced milk;
  • cultured milk, such as cultured buttermilk, cultured kefir milk, and cultured acidophilus milk;
  • acidified milk, such as acidified kefir milk and acidified acidophilus milk; and
  • ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk.

 

Program operators are encouraged, but not required, to make changes to menus under these provisions. Program operators have discretion to decide which varieties of fluid milk to offer. The revised regulations give menu planners more flexibility to offer fluid milk options that meet the dietary preferences of Program participants and are compatible with product availability, cost considerations, and other local factors.

This final rule with comment period (91 FR 25073, May 8, 2026), is effective and can be implemented on June 8, 2026.

 

Read the full guidance: Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs (CACFP 04-2026).