Kids may soon be able to get plant-based milk options at school

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators recently introduced the ADD SOY Act to give kids a nutritionally equivalent, plant-based milk option other than cow’s milk as part of the National School Lunch Program. ADD SOY was introduced in the Senate by Senators Fetterman, Kennedy, Booker, and Wicker and Reps. Carter and Mace earlier this month.

ADD SOY, which stands for “Addressing Digestive Distress in Stomachs of Our Youth,” would require public schools to offer soy milk to kids participating in the National School Lunch Program while directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fully reimburse schools for the cost of the soy milk provided—something that no other bill has done.

The milk sugars, known as lactose, present in cow’s milk can be difficult to digest for some, causing lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance can cause digestive problems such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. 

Not everyone is lactose intolerant (LI), and lactose sensitivity can vary in severity. But a report from the National Institutes of Health shows that the majority of all people have a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy, and LI “is also very common in people of West African, Arab, Jewish, Greek and Italian descent.” Based on documented rates of lactose intolerance among different ethnic groups, it’s estimated that 17 million of the 30 million kids could have some degree of lactose intolerance (LI), with especially high rates among people who are Black, brown, Asian American and Indigenous.

This means that much of the milk mandated for kids could be causing more harm than good.

Still, other kids may have a true allergy to dairy and are sensitive to casein or other cow’s milk proteins, and are left without a nutrient-dense beverage option. Dairy allergy can cause hives, upset stomach, bloody stool, vomiting, or even anaphylaxis in severe cases. 

Soy milk does not contain lactose or cow’s milk protein and is plant-based, and when fortified with additional vitamins, soy milk is considered nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk as per the most recent US Dietary Guidelines, updated in 2020. Fortified soy milk is packed with vitamin D, vitamin A and calcium, making it similar to milk in terms of nutrient composition, and is a good source of protein and other nutrients helpful for kids’ growth and development. 

Additionally, it’s estimated that mandating a carton of milk for every lunch purchased by a total of 30 million children adds up to a reimbursement of $1 billion for cow’s milk to public schools nationwide. For kids who are lactose intolerant, this presents a problem—they’re not getting a nutritionally equivalent beverage option with their lunch.

According to the USDA’s findings, 29 percent of the cartons of milk served in our schools are thrown in the garbage unopened. This potentially means $300 million in tax dollars goes right into the trash, according to the Center for a Humane Economy. The Chef Ann Foundation estimates that 45 million gallons of milk is wasted each school year. This not only represents a loss of nutrition, but also the environmental and financial resources that go into producing, transporting, cooling, and storing milk.

“Our nation’s ‘milk mandate’ is a surefire way to cause digestive distress and to impede classroom learning for millions of school kids with lactose intolerance,” said Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action. “It constitutes reckless wasting of tax dollars and irresponsible food waste, easily remedied by giving kids a soy milk option. We are excited to work with Reps. Troy Carter and Nancy Mace to deliver nutritional choice in the lunchroom.”