New Arizona Law Aims to Clean Up School Lunches by 2026

Reporter: Kaneeshka Jakkula

PHOENIX — As health experts warn of rising rates of obesity, fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes in children, Arizona enacted a new law banning a list of ultra-processed foods from school lunch menus.

Earlier this year, lawmakers passed HB2164, also known as the Arizona Healthy Schools Act, which prohibits serving food containing a list of harmful additives in federally supported meal programs in public schools.

The list includes red-40, yellow-5 and yellow-6 food dyes, titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, propylparaben, potassium bromate, blue dye 1 and 2, and green dye 3. The bill will be in effect from the 2026-27 school year.

With the bill now passed, the school districts across the state are reviewing menus and planning how to meet the new regulations while balancing health with affordability.

Wesley Delbridge, food and nutrition director at the Coolidge Unified School District, said the district has been anticipating such an initiative and began planning early.

“We saw this coming,” Delbridge said. “So we started working with our vendors and making gradual changes before the bill even passed. That helped us get ahead and made sure the transition is smoother for everyone.”

Delbridge said that the district has already begun removing food that includes banned items and has started educating the community about the new policy.

“We did a full analysis of everything on campus, which includes meals and vending machines and anything a student can eat during the school day. We’ve already started removing cereals and baked goods with those ingredients and educating our community on what’s changing,” Delbridge said.

He also added that some ingredients are easier to replace, while others require more effort.

“The hardest part is going to be the food dyes,” he said. “They're in everything, but by next year, everything will be pulled.”

Balancing health with cost is also a huge part of the planning. Delbridge explained that although he doesn't anticipate a huge financial hit, communicating with the staff and parents will be a greater responsibility.

“I do not see a huge financial impact,” he said. “We were already meeting USDA and Smart Snacks standards. The main challenge is going to be educating the district and parents on the guidelines for fundraisers and a la carte sales.”

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Leo Biasiucci, who said his goal was to make meals safer and healthier for students.

“Our kids deserve better than artificial dyes and fillers in their meals,” Representative Biasiucci said. “Parents should know that when their children eat at schools, they are getting real, nutritious food, not the kind of processed junk that’s banned in other countries. This is common sense, and I am proud that my colleagues came together to pass this important bill.”

During a press conference, Dr. Julie Hinman, a family nurse practitioner and nutritionist, said she personally saw the impact of processed food on children’s health.

“We are seeing pre-diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, even type 2 diabetes in our smallest ones,” Hinman said. “As a mom, I want to know that I can send my children to school and that they’re okay to eat lunch.”

While the bill receives great support, some worry that many districts might struggle to adapt.

Jennifer Gordon, child nutrition director at Laveen School District, said that healthier meals cost more and require additional funding to execute the new bill.

“Sourcing products without restricted ingredients comes at a higher cost,” Gordon said. “We chose more in-house preparation, which means purchasing new equipment, adding more skilled labor and training staff, all of which increases expenses. While we received $80,000 in a grant from an outside organisation to support these changes, other districts will need additional funding to execute the new law.”

Although Gordon says the bill will greatly benefit students, she expressed concern that it might send a disconnected message if it isn’t applied to all foods available on campus.

“As a nutrition director who has prioritized a clean label initiative for the last 10 years, these changes will definitely benefit students we serve, especially by removing dyes from things like strawberry milk, cereals, and yogurt, but the real culprits are snack-style food like chips and Gatorade, which are not part of school meals,” Gordon said.

“My concern is that we’re sending a disconnected message if the law isn't applied campus-wide.”

Despite these difficulties, the districts believe this is a great initiative that supports the wellness of the children.

Delbridge said that this change is about prioritizing children’s health.

“We are in this for the health of our kids,” Delbridge said. “It’s not just about following a law, it’s about serving meals that truly help students learn and grow."