Healthy Meal Time Act of 2026

This Act may be cited as the Healthy Meal Time Act of 2026 .

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1769 ) is amended by inserting after section 26 the following:

(a) Task force. (1) Establishment Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a task force to develop best practices in accordance with paragraph (3). (2) Membership The task force shall consist of not more than 5 members appointed by the Secretary, which shall include— (A) 1 member from a State educational agency; and (B) 1 member from a school food authority. (3) Best practices (A) In general Not later than 1 year after the establishment of the task force, the task force shall develop, and report to the Secretary and Secretary of Education, best practices for schools with respect to the time of day lunches are served, the time of day recess is offered, and the duration of lunch periods in schools to ensure student health, including appropriate nutritional intake. (B) Development In developing the best practices described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall— (i) review research relating to the information described in subparagraph (A); (ii) consider the amount of time it takes students to carry out activities during lunch periods other than eating, including traveling from class, waiting in line, getting utensils and condiments, and clearing trays; and (iii) ensure that any recommended duration for seated eating time during a lunch period— (I) is in accordance with the most recent recommendation published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to seated eating time; and (II) includes adequate time to eat unprocessed and minimally processed foods.

(b) Guidance. Not later than 1 year after the task force reports to the Secretary the best practices under subsection (a)(3), the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, shall issue guidance based on such best practices to schools participating in the school lunch program under this Act.