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New school meal rules to be released Wednesday

New rules on improving school meals will be unveiled Wednesday by First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at an event in Alexandria, Va

The White House called the new school meals rule an important accomplishment of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that Obama signed last year. It also noted that USDA is making the first major changes in school meals in more than 15 years, and “doing so in a way that’s achievable for schools across the nation.”

The new standards make the same kinds of changes that many parents are already encouraging at home, the White House said, including ensuring children get fruits and vegetables every day, offering substantially more foods rich in whole grains, offering only fat-free or low-fat milk, and making sure proper portion sizes are served.

The first lady will also travel to Florida later this week, to Iowa on Feb. 9, and to two other locations to highlight her “Let’s Move” campaign against childhood obesity, Obama Foodorama has reported.