As of June 8, 2026, the fluid milk requirements for the CACFP expanded by allowing child and adult care providers to offer whole and reduced-fat milk to participants two years and older. This update puts into effect the milk requirements established by the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and helps ensure that meals continue to follow the nutrition recommendations outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. By removing previous milk fat restrictions, programs can now offer more milk choices, including whole and reduced-fat milk, to better serve their participants.
Summary of Changes
The table below provides a summary of the updates. Programs may continue serving skim and 1% milk. No menu changes are required. The rule expands allowable options; it does not eliminate existing options.
OLD RULE
1 YEAR
Unflavored
whole milk
2-5 YEARS
Unflavored
skim or 1% milk
6 YEARS+
Unflavored or flavored
skim or 1% milk
NEW RULE
1 YEAR
Unflavored
whole milk
2-5 YEARS
Unflavored
skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk
6 YEARS+
Unflavored or flavored
skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk
Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs
Program operators are not required to change their menus, but they now have more flexibility in the types of milk they can offer. Each program can decide which milk options best meet the needs of their participants while continuing to align with the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For example, a program may choose to offer unflavored whole milk as an option for all participants.
Click below to read all the details on this new ruling.