Trump Administration Allocates $90 Million to Upgrade School Cafeterias Nationwide

The Trump administration unveiled a $90 million package to refurbish school cafeterias as part of its Make America Healthy Again agenda. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced $70 million for equipment such as ovens, stoves and cold-storage units, complementing a $20 million pilot program introduced earlier. Rollins also revealed $25 million to help districts procure locally grown fruits, vegetables and proteins.

The effort aligns with the latest USDA-HHS Dietary Guidelines and will support the National School Lunch Program, which feeds about 30 million students, and the School Breakfast Program serving roughly 15 million. Kennedy said the NIH will launch research to find cost-effective ways schools can serve healthier meals, while a pending rule will raise standards for fresh produce, whole milk, whole grains and locally sourced protein. Former HUD secretary Dr. Ben Carson praised the overhaul as vital for children’s long-term health and academic performance.