Sizing Up Snack Foods and Drinks

Data Visualization February 20, 2015 Read time:

Projects: Kids’ Safe and Healthful Food Project

This data visualization was updated on April 26, 2016 to correct the height of some bars in the graph.

To ensure that all foods sold in schools are healthier, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages and align them with the school meal guidelines. This graphic compares the nutritional value of the snack foods and beverages that had been available to students to those that meet the Smart Snacks in School standards that went into effect at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.

References

“National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010”; Interim Final Rule, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 78 Fed. Reg. 39068 (June 28, 2013), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-06-28/pdf/2013-15249.pdf.

U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. “National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 27,” accessed Jan. 6, 2015, http://ndb.nal.usda.gov.