HHS launches $32.5 million DEPEND program to replace processed school meals

The Department of Health and Human Services introduced the Developing Evidence for Programs to Ensure Nutrition for Development (DEPEND) initiative, allocating $32.5 million to improve the nutritional quality of school meals in federally funded districts. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized concerns about chemicals and artificial colors in processed foods and pledged to provide “real, nutrient-dense food” to children.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health will manage the program, offering grants from $75,000 up to $2.5 million to support innovations in food purchasing, workforce and production, student demand, and operational infrastructure. Schools and districts are expected to craft customized strategies rather than follow a uniform plan. Results will be shared publicly through the NIH All of Us Research Program, and a coordinating center will track the various grants and experiments nationwide. If the pilot phase proves effective, HHS intends to request further funding for the program in fiscal year 2027.