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A recent California state executive order has impacted the availability of ultra-processed food in schools. This state has been inarguably ahead of the curve when it comes to protecting children and the residents of their state from harmful chemicals in their food and in their environment.
So, this latest crackdown on ultra-processed foods does not surprise me.
What makes a product an ultra-processed food and what does this mean for the 2026 school year?
With the executive order officially moving California school food toward an ultra-processed food-free menu, it is a good idea to familiarize ourselves with what makes food “ultra-processed.”
The term is broader than you might think.
In fact, according to Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Health, nearly 75% of the U.S. food supply is ultra-processed.
Most of the food we eat in the United States is ultra-processed, says Julia Wolfson, PhD, an associate professor in International Health. “They dominate our food systems. If you imagine a typical grocery store, most of the foods and beverages lining the shelves are ultra-processed.”
More than half of the calories the average adult consumes in this country comes from ultra-processed foods. When it comes to children, this statistic increases to more than 60%.
The amount of processing occurs on a spectrum.
Not all processed food is junk food. So, what is the difference?
Based on the pure definition, I am sure you can identify the types of foods you regularly eat.
When it comes to unprocessed food, it is pretty much limited to ingredients.
Basic ingredients.
Fruits, vegetables, milk, fish, meat. Things like that. The very basic foods that have been picked, caught, or collected.
Believe it or not, processed foods include most of our staples. They are foods that have some, well, processing. These are culinary ingredients like salt, sugar, olive oil, and butter.
Yes.
Even butter.
Butter requires some processing to transform it from milk to the delicious creamy concoction that it is.
It also includes foods that have undergone some type of cooking. Things cooked with fire, that are dried, smoked, cured, pickled, canned, or salted. Things like jam, canned fruit, and pickles. Even bread, cheese, and canned fish.
Just about everything else is an ultra-processed food. While we often consider ultra-processed food are often chemically made. They contain chemical-based preservatives, emulsifiers like hydrogenated oils, or sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. They contain artificial flavors, colors, and are extruded, molded, or fractioned.
At the end of the processing, the final product contains no recognizable individual ingredient.
Ultra-processed food includes energy drinks, sliced bread, hot dogs, instant oatmeal, soda, lunch meats, and jerky. Things like prepackaged snacks. Such as candy, crackers, chips, cookies, and boxed macaroni and cheese. Even frozen or ready to eat refrigerated meals.
In addition to often being lower in fiber (reduces sustained fullness), it often contains more saturated fat, sodium, and sugar than its processed or unprocessed counterparts.
“Many of these ultra-processed foods are intentionally designed by the food industry to be irresistible to consumers, and they’re heavily marketed with the goal of maximizing profits,” says Wolfson.
They are cheaper to make and appeal to the masses. You can’t just eat one. Or so they say.
But not all ultra-processed food is bad for us.
Believe it or not, despite the bad connotation (for the most part with good reason), not all ultra-processed foods are bad.
Pre-packaged whole grain breads, for example, are loaded with healthy fiber and a good part of a balanced meal. Many yogurts, instant oatmeal, and even jarred pasta sauces are all ultra-processed food. Check the labels for sugar content and artificial flavors/colors to ensure you are feeding yourself and your family healthy alternatives.
Additionally, dairy alternatives like soy or almond milk as well as meat alternatives are considered ultra-processed. But for some, it is a healthy alternative to an allergic food.
It is all about balancing, checking labels, and moderation.
Executive Order N-1-25 includes a lot of supporting statements.
Some include information gathered from government data. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report “confirmed the link between consumption of ultra-processed foods and greater risk of obesity and being overweight in adults and greater risks of being overweight in children and adolescents.”
Specific statistics, like “38 percent of children and youth between 12 and 19 years old are prediabetic,” a condition that can lead to additional health concerns. Things like type-2 diabetes, obesity, age-related cognitive decline, as well as colorectal and breast cancer.
Other statements explain that the United States is lagging behind other parts of the world. “Experts have estimated that more than 10,000 chemicals are currently authorized for use in the United States as food or color additives or ingredients, while just over 300 food additives are currently authorized for use in the European Union.” Essentially, we allow more additives in our food supply than Europe does.
These statements build on what Governor Newsome has already accomplished on the subject.
Governor Newsome was one of the first governors in the country to ban certain “harmful chemical food additives” sold within the state. Namely red dye 3 and brominated vegetable oil. The country is moving towards this ban in incremental steps. California did not want to wait for compliance.
On the topic of California school food, there are already newly adopted standards and some proposed ones exceeding federal counterparts. Including:
The California Executive Order requires several different tasks to be completed by the end of the year. Such as providing a plan for removing ultra-processed food from the school campuses, exploring and developing stricture standards for the state of California, modifying foods that qualify for SNAP benefits, and investing in gaps existing between where the state stands now and providing healthy options for their residents. Of all ages.
This move could launch a trend. Paving the way for other states to follow suit. Florida and Texas are already making an effort to move in that direction. Other states are likely to follow, not wanting to wait for the Federal Government to implement similar plans.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “California Governor Issues State Executive Order Against Ultra-Processed Foods in Schools,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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