Implementation Tool

Foods and beverages sold in vending machines and school stores are often high in fat, saturated fat, sodium, added sugars, and low in nutrients that children need.

Many school districts across the country are making positive changes to foods and beverages offered or sold outside the school meal programs, including a la carte offerings. These changes take time to implement and generally result from a combination of efforts - including school board members interested in making changes, parents and PTAs advocating for change, and in some cases from students who want more nutritious offerings. It is important to identify who the health/nutrition leaders are in a school or a district and work to develop a strategy to establish strong nutrition standards. School food services will play a key role in helping drive changes in a practical, realistic way. Consider setting nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold outside the cafeteria, such as ones for total fat, portion size, and the time of day or location that certain items are available. A number of resources are available to help schools and districts set strong nutrition standards.