A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date provisions.

HB 173 requires all Iowa public and nonpublic schools (K-12) to include specific nutrition education in their curricula. It mandates instruction emphasizing the importance and benefits of animal-based proteins, dairy, vegetables, and fruit in balanced diets for students in kindergarten through grade 8, and updates health education standards to include these topics. The bill also modifies career and technical education for grades 9-12 to add agriculture, food, and natural resources content focused on local sourcing and sustainable farming. Additionally, it updates school meal program requirements and specifies that these changes apply to all schools meeting state accreditation standards.