They’ve got milk, but many California kids can’t tolerate it. Schools can now offer alternatives

On July 9, state lawmakers announced that the 2026-27 budget included additional funds for kitchen infrastructure and training at California schools, allocating a total of $500 million.

Got milk? For the first time in history, every student in the El Monte Union High School District in Los Angeles County can finally answer yes. 

The federal Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act includes a provision allowing schools to proactively offer plant-based milk options, such as soy milk, on the lunch line. It’s a major step forward for millions of students who can’t digest lactose or who choose nondairy options for health, ethical, religious or cultural reasons. 

After the law change last year, we worked together — as a student advocate and the district’s director of nutrition services — to bring soy milk to our lunch lines alongside cow’s milk. About 99% of the students in our district are from racial or ethnic backgrounds with a high prevalence of lactose intolerance. They have embraced the new plant-based option. 

Now all of our students can benefit from the nutrients available in dairy and nondairy milk, and everyone feels included at the lunch table. 

There’s still a problem. Due to federal policies that subsidize cow’s milk and require it in school meals, soy milk costs about 75 cents more per carton. With reimbursements to schools at $5.71 per lunch, most can’t afford to offer nondairy milk without dedicated funding, which we were lucky to receive on a one-time basis from Friends of the Earth. 

California’s new budget will help address this challenge by investing $400 million in school kitchen infrastructure and training, allowing these funds to be used to procure healthy and sustainable foods, including plant-based beverages. For the first time, school districts will have a real opportunity to expand access to nondairy milk. 

But it’s up to schools and districts to take advantage of it.

Nearly 70% of Americans agree students should have access to nutritious plant-based beverages at school. That support reflects a larger reality: Millions of children cannot digest lactose. 

Lactose intolerance disproportionately affects students of color. As many as 90% of people from parts of Eastern Asia, 80% of Native Americans, 65% of Africans and African Americans and 50% of Latinos are lactose intolerant, compared to 20% of Caucasians, according to Harvard Health. In California, where 80% of public school students are students of color and 60% rely on school meals, the lack of accessible nondairy options is a significant issue.

The benefits of expanding access to plant-based milk extend far beyond equity.

Research from Johns Hopkins University found that dairy operations contribute 32% of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with school meals. Cow’s milk is responsible for most of it. The same study found that substituting with soy milk could reduce school meal emissions by 25%. 

California is one of a handful of states offering free school lunches to all public school students. It’s also a leader in climate-smart procurement and sustainable food systems, so the state has a high-impact opportunity to reduce the environmental footprint of its school meals.

The current system is also remarkably wasteful. Nationally, about 45 million gallons of milk are discarded in schools every year. Offering plant-based alternatives increases the likelihood students will actually drink what schools are serving, reducing waste. 

Students have spent years advocating for more inclusive cafeteria options. They’ve pushed for policy changes in Washington and have worked locally to give students a voice in school food decisions. 

Their voices are being heard. 

California’s newly enacted budget protects School Meals for All and invests in school kitchens, farm-to-school programs and healthy, sustainable food procurement. By providing funding schools can use to buy nondairy milk, state leaders have created a powerful opportunity to make school meals more inclusive.

Now districts must seize this opportunity and ensure every student has access to a beverage that meets their needs.