School Nutrition
There are many policies that would improve the nutritional content of the foods available to children in schools; examples are listed below. One policy that is being promoted in many states, and has already become law in several others, would ban the sale of junk foods and sugar-sweetened beverages in schools. Current federal policy prohibits the sale of foods that compete with those served as part of the National School Lunch Program. However, this policy fails to improve the nutrition in school foods because the definition of these “competitive foods” (also called foods of minimal nutritional value), is weak and allows for the sale of many foods high in fat, sugar, calories, and sodium.
Local school districts, state legislatures, and Congress can all pass policies that would prohibit the sale of foods of minimal nutritional value.
For more information:
- Examples of public policy that can improve nutrition and physical activity in schools
- Federal legislation filed in the current (110th) Congress
- Better School Food
- Center for Science in the Public Interest
- National Farm to School Network
- New Haven Food Policy Council Primer
- Parents Against Junk Food
- School Nutrition Association
- Two Angry Moms