Ultra-Processed Foods Are Being Phased Out in Schools | Dr. Pankaj Kumar

Why Ultra-Processed Foods Are Being Phased Out in Schools — What That Means for Our Nutrition

By Dr. Pankaj Kumar | Updated October 2025

Introduction: A Bold Move Toward Healthier School Meals

Recently, California made headlines by announcing a gradual phase-out of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) from school meals by 2035 (Report, 2025).
As a doctor who works with families every day, I find this development both inspiring and overdue.
It reflects a growing global realization — that what our children eat in schools is shaping not only their health today, but also their future relationship with food.

Across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, school cafeterias have long relied on processed staples — chicken nuggets, sugary drinks, and ready-made snacks.
Convenient? Yes. Nutritious? Hardly.
But change is on the horizon.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods, Really?

The term “ultra-processed foods” comes from the NOVA classification system developed by Brazilian researchers.
UPFs are products made mostly from industrial ingredients like refined starches, seed oils, flavor enhancers, and artificial colors — with little or no whole food left.
Think sodas, chips, instant noodles, energy bars, and frozen ready-to-eat meals.

Unlike simply “processed” foods (such as canned beans or yogurt), UPFs go through multiple chemical and physical processes that strip away nutrients and add addictive combinations of sugar, fat, and salt (Study, 2024).
This hyper-palatability keeps us coming back for more — often at the cost of balanced nutrition.

Why Governments Are Finally Taking Action

Over the last decade, evidence linking UPFs to chronic disease has grown undeniable.
Studies show that diets high in UPFs increase the risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease (Study, 2023).
Children, whose taste preferences and eating habits are still developing, are especially vulnerable.

The move by California — the first U.S. state to set a concrete phase-out timeline — is expected to inspire similar actions across other states and even internationally.
This shift echoes what we’ve already seen in the United Kingdom’s “Healthy Schools” initiative and Australia’s “Fresh Tastes @ School” program.

Beyond Health: The Economics of Processed Food

It’s important to recognize that this isn’t only about calories and nutrients.
UPFs are often cheap, shelf-stable, and aggressively marketed to lower-income families.
When schools rely on them, it’s often due to limited budgets and supply chain convenience — not neglect.

By investing in local produce, better supply chains, and cooking education, schools can begin to bridge the gap between cost and care.
This transition may also empower local farmers and reduce food waste — a win for both health and the environment (Report, 2025).

As a Doctor, Here’s How I See It

When I counsel families — both in person and online — I often remind them that ultra-processed foods aren’t “evil,” but they’re engineered to be easy.
Easy to store, easy to serve, easy to love.
The problem is that they also make it too easy to overeat, to ignore real hunger cues, and to miss out on nutrients that our bodies quietly depend on.

Children who grow up with a diet dominated by UPFs often experience fluctuating blood sugar, irritability, low energy, and difficulty concentrating.
I’ve seen firsthand how switching even one meal a day to something more wholesome — like oatmeal with fruit instead of sugary cereal — can dramatically improve energy and mood within weeks.

The Ripple Effect: What Happens When Schools Change

When schools lead the change, children naturally bring those habits home.
If your child starts enjoying roasted vegetables or fresh sandwiches instead of fries, it subtly shifts the family norm.
That’s how public-health measures create long-term impact — not just through policy, but through quiet, daily repetition.

In the U.K., similar programs led to measurable improvements in kids’ fruit and vegetable intake and modest drops in obesity rates after five years (Study, 2022).
Parents noticed better focus, fewer tantrums, and even improved attendance.

What This Means for Families (and Adults Too)

While California’s policy targets schools, the message applies to all of us.
Our diets — in offices, universities, and homes — are often dominated by convenience foods.
The first step isn’t perfection; it’s awareness.
Start by checking ingredient lists for terms like “hydrogenated,” “maltodextrin,” or “flavoring.”
These usually signal ultra-processed formulations.

Practical Swaps You Can Make Today

• Breakfast: Swap flavored cereal for plain oats topped with berries and a drizzle of honey.
• Lunch: Replace packaged chips with a handful of mixed nuts or air-popped popcorn.
• Dinner: Use quick-cook whole grains like quinoa or brown rice instead of instant noodles.
• Snacks: Try Greek yogurt with fruit instead of energy bars.
• Drinks: Replace sodas with sparkling water infused with lemon or mint.

Even small swaps, done consistently, can dramatically lower your intake of chemical additives and boost your overall nutrient density.

What About the Cost Factor?

A common argument against reducing UPFs is affordability.
But recent cost analyses show that simple home-prepared meals — lentil soups, rice bowls, salads — are often cheaper per serving than store-bought convenience foods (Study, 2024).
The challenge isn’t only financial; it’s time and planning.

One way forward is collective action — schools providing meal-prep education, workplaces supporting healthy food initiatives, and families sharing simple recipes within their communities.
I often remind parents: “You don’t need a chef’s kitchen to cook healthy; you just need a plan.”

How to Talk to Kids About It

When you tell children that certain foods are “bad,” they may feel restricted and rebel.
Instead, focus on curiosity:
Ask, “What do you think your body likes better — something from the plant or something from the packet?”
Make it fun.
Involve them in grocery shopping or lunchbox planning.
Kids are more likely to eat what they helped choose or prepare.

Long-Term Vision: Food as a Learning Tool

Schools are not just places to learn math or reading — they are where our children learn life habits.
Cooking, nutrition, and mindful eating are skills as essential as literacy.
When a school replaces flavored milk with plain milk or adds a fresh fruit option, it teaches subtle lessons in self-regulation and gratitude.

Imagine a generation that sees food not just as fuel but as connection — to nature, community, and one’s own health.
That’s the real promise behind policies like California’s.

Take-Home Points

1. Ultra-processed foods are convenient but nutritionally hollow and habit-forming.
2. California’s move to phase them out of schools signals a broader public-health awakening.
3. Families can begin reducing UPFs through small, practical swaps and better food awareness.
4. Local sourcing, cooking education, and community initiatives can make healthy eating affordable.
5. Changing how children eat in schools can shift entire generational habits toward mindful nutrition.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t about demonizing modern food.
It’s about rebalancing convenience with consciousness.
We can still enjoy the occasional pizza or packaged snack — but if the foundation of our diet is real, minimally processed food, our bodies will thank us in energy, focus, and resilience.

As both a doctor and a lifelong student of nutrition, I see this as a moment of hope — a cultural reset toward sanity in our eating habits.
If we nourish our children well today, they’ll nourish the world tomorrow.