We need your help to make sure USDA takes real action to improve the foods and beverages that students can buy every day.
These proposed guidelines could make a major difference to children's health. They would ensure that when kids make choices about snacks and drinks, the options they see are healthy ones, whether sold as a la carte items in the cafeteria, in vending machines, or in school stores. These items are a big part of what our young people eat—roughly 40 percent of students buy a snack at school every day.
Even if students eat a healthy lunch, research shows they often still consume excess calories from additional a la carte items the cafeteria might serve, such as french fries or ice cream. Sometimes kids skip a nutritious meal entirely in favor of less-healthy snacks.
Show your support for healthy snacks and drinks in schools.