Make Louisiana Healthy
Governor Jeff Landry: Leading the charge to Make Louisiana Healthy
There’s a growing movement across America to Make America Healthy Again, and it’s time Louisiana joins the fight. Our future depends on the choices we make today.
“The health of our children must be a top priority in Louisiana. By improving the food they eat and supporting policies that promote wellness we can build a healthier future for the next generation.”
— Governor Jeff Landry
What Senate Bill #14 will do to Make Louisiana Healthy:
1. Clean Up Cafeteria Menus
Say goodbye to ultra-processed foods in school lunches to give kids a healthier start.
2. Smart Doctors, Healthier Patients
Mandate nutrition and metabolic continuing health courses for physicians to better support patients.
3. Warning: What’s Really in Your Food?
Require labels on products with artificial colors, additives, or banned chemicals.
4. What’s Cooking? You Deserve to Know
Restaurants must tell customers if seed oils are used in meal prep.
5. No More Sodas with SNAP
Ban sugary sodas from being purchased with SNAP benefits to promote better nutrition.
Learn more about the bill
Senate Bill 14 is a bold move to build a healthier, more informed Louisiana.
Banning Ultra-Processed Foods in Schools Receiving State Funds
Under Senate Bill 14, Louisiana schools that receive state funding will no longer be allowed to serve ultra-processed foods to students. These are items that often contain harmful additives, artificial dyes, and preservatives that have been linked to long-term health concerns like hyperactivity in children, obesity, and metabolic disease. By removing these low-nutrition foods from school cafeterias, the state is taking a bold step to promote healthier habits and reduce preventable illness starting with our youngest generation. Similar initiatives in other states reflect a growing, bipartisan consensus: schools should be fueling kids’futures, not feeding chronic disease.
Requiring Continuing Education for Physicians on Nutrition & Metabolic Health
This legislation mandates that physicians and physician assistants in key areas of care like family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and OB-GYN—complete continuing medical education (CME) in nutrition and metabolic health. Despite skyrocketing rates of preventable diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, many medical professionals receive little formal training on how food and lifestyle affect health. Senate Bill 14 aims to bridge that gap. With this requirement, Louisiana can ensure that its healthcare providers are better equipped to guide patients toward healthier, evidence-based choices, ultimately driving down healthcare costs and improving quality of life.
Mandating Warning Labels for Artificial Colors, Additives, and Banned Chemicals
Under the MAHA legislation, any food product containing specific artificial additives, dyes, or chemicals that are banned in other countries or linked to health risks must carry a warning label. This mirrors laws in other states, which have passed GMO labeling laws to empower consumers. From breakfast cereals to snack foods, these labels will help Louisianans make informed choices for their families and put pressure on manufacturers to clean up their ingredient lists.
Requiring Restaurants to Disclose the Use of Seed Oils in Food Prep
Many popular seed oils, like soybean, canola, and sunflower oil, are highly processed, oxidize quickly, and can trigger inflammation in the body. The MAHA legislation requires that restaurants disclose when seed oils are used in cooking or food preparation. This simple signage requirement gives diners more control over what they eat, especially those with allergies, dietary restrictions, or health concerns. In a time when consumers are more health-conscious than ever, this policy supports personal agency and informed decision-making.
Prohibiting the Purchase of Sugary Soft Drinks with SNAP Benefits
Sugary soft drinks are one of the leading contributors to obesity and diet-related illness, especially among low-income communities. Senate Bill 14 would restrict the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for the purchase of soft drinks, aligning Louisiana with other states like Idaho and Texas that are exploring similar measures. This policy doesn’t reduce benefits; it simply redirects them toward foods that nourish rather than harm. It’s about encouraging better health outcomes while still supporting food security.
What’s Getting Banned in Louisiana School Foods?
Some additives in school snacks are getting the boot, and for good reason! Louisiana is stepping up to protect kids by banning these harmful chemicals in public school meals & vending machines:
- Red Dye #3
- Titanium Dioxide
- Potassium Bromate
- Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
- Propylparaben
These additives have been linked to: Hyperactivity in children, Neurodevelopmental issues and Cancer risks. This move aligns Louisiana with growing national and global efforts to kick toxic ingredients out of our kids’ food. Better snacks, brighter minds!
Why are school foods important?
Our children’s brains and bodies are still developing. That means they absorb chemicals more easily, and their detox systems aren’t fully mature. This makes them more susceptible to the harmful effects of certain food additives.
The additives in question are not in our food to help kids grow stronger or healthier. They’re there to make food look brighter, extend shelf life, and create fake flavors—but they offer zero nutritional benefits. Countries in Europe and elsewhere have already said “no thanks” to these additives, choosing safer alternatives instead. Louisiana schools, and our kids, deserve the same level of protection.
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The Movement
From kitchen tables to the Capitol — together, we’re creating real change. Join us in making Louisiana a place where every child can grow up healthy and strong.
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