NYC ditches fresh fruit and veggie snacks in schools after federal cuts to USDA: ‘A shame'

Yahoo

22-03-2025

A program that provided NYC students with fresh fruit and vegetable snacks is being cancelled for the rest of the year, The Post has learned.
'Unfortunately, due to a funding issue, NYC will be unable to continue the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year,' said a city Department of Education notice sent to elementary school parents in Brooklyn this week.
'Students will still receive their fruits and veggies at lunch,' but will not get an additional snack three days a week, according to the note.
The change will take effect on March 31 in more than 50 city schools part of the federal program, which cost $1,179,000 this school year, records show.
'It would be a shame if kids don't get that extra fruit,' a Harlem mom told The Post. 'For some of the kids in our communities, the only fruit they might have is at school.'
Parents said their kids typically receive an apple, banana or bag of cucumbers or carrots with Ranch dressing as a snack.
Other choices have included cantaloupe, grapes, honeydew, kiwi and pineapple, said a DOE source.
'I've heard they might be replaced with canned fruits or applesauce,' the insider said.
It's unclear what, if anything, will replace the fresh veggie snacks.
The move follows the US Department of Agriculture announcement this week that it is cutting $1 billion in federal funding to provide schools and food banks fresh, locally sourced produce.
It is one of the latest efforts the Trump administration claims will eliminate waste in the federal government.
Schools with at least 50% of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals generally qualify for the program, according to the USDA.
Ironically, most of 279,000 cases of apples worth $5.5 million went to waste last summer after the city DOE ordered three times more of the fruit from the USDA than it needed, The Post reported.
Kitchen staff have urged the DOE's Office of Food and Nutrition Services to prioritize kids' favorite fruit and veggie items, but it continues over-paying costly distributors for unpopular items, a cafeteria insider told The Post.
Since July, the city has been overcharged an estimated $1.2 million for produce including squash, apples, oranges, grapefruit, bananas and herbs like cilantro at distributors' rates instead of at market value, the whistleblower said.
'These funds could be better utilized to procure higher-quality fruits and vegetables, rather than having them go to waste.'
The funding for the extra snacks of fresh fruit is expected to resume next school year, another DOE source said.
Sources at several city schools confirmed the fresh fruit decrease, but DOE spokeswoman Jenna Lyle denied any cutback.
'Everyday we are ensuring that our students have access to nutritious and delicious meals, and we will continue to prioritize providing nutritious, healthy food for our students amid any changes in federal funds,' she said.