Food in Schools
Eating a healthy diet helps children stay alert during class, fight off illnesses, and grow into strong, healthy adults. School children get up to half the food they need each day at school, which makes schools an important place for learning healthy eating habits. School food policies help schools provide children with foods and drinks that are part of a healthy diet.
The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program provide complete meals to millions of American children every day. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires the meals served by these programs to be healthy and nutritious. New guidelines effective in 2012 will make school meals healthier.
Students may also buy foods and drinks from vending machines, school stores, and á la carte cafeteria lines. These foods and drinks are called “competitive foods” because students may choose to eat them instead of the nutritionally balanced meals provided by the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Many states and school districts have adopted policies to make competitive foods healthier, and the USDA is considering new federal nutrition guidelines for these foods.
School food policies may also include limits on food for celebrations and rewards, restrictions on food and beverage marketing in schools, and development of farm-to-school programs and school gardens.
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