69ý

School & District Management

Pact Aims for Healthier Snacks in Vending Machines

By Christina A. Samuels — October 13, 2006 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Several leading snack-food makers have entered into a voluntary agreement to provide healthier options for school vending machines as part of an agreement with former President Clinton’s foundation and the American Heart Association.

More information on the is available from the .

Campbell Soup Co., the Dannon Co., Kraft Foods Inc., Mars Inc., and PepsiCo Inc. have agreed to reformulate some of their products and develop new products, while encouraging support of the guidelines by vending machine servicing firms and schools. The guidelines would apply to snacks sold throughout schools, including in school stores, snack carts, and by students as fundraisers.

The agreement is similar to one announced in May between soft drink companies, on one side, and the William J. Clinton Foundation and the heart association, which have partnered in an initiative called the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, based in New York City. The soft drink companies involved in that agreement—Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, Coca-Cola Co., and PepsiCo Inc.—have more control over what goes into vending machines than snack-food companies do, however. All the snack makers said, though, that they would encourage vending-machine operators and schools to stock the healthier options.

“What we are setting in motion with these guidelines will dramatically change the kind of food that children have access to at school,” Mr. Clinton said when the agreement was announced on Oct. 6.

Such agreements come at a time of rising concern about childhood obesity and attention to schools’ part in fostering better nutrition.

Vendors on Board?

The guidelines for snacks say that such foods should follow a “35-10-35” format: no more than 35 percent of calories from total fat, no more than 10 percent from saturated fat, and no more than 35 percent sugar by weight. The guidelines also specify that the foods must be free of trans fats, which are linked to high cholesterol, and have no more than 230 milligrams of sodium per serving. Certain foods with other nutrients can be exceptions to those general guidelines, including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, seeds, soups, and eggs.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health-advocacy group in Washington that had threatened to sue soft drink companies before the agreement announced in May, said the latest agreement was “benevolent” but didn’t go far enough.

“It’s schools and vending-machine companies who decide what to stock in school vending machines, and they aren’t parties to this agreement,” Margo G. Wootan, the director of nutrition policy for the group, said in a statement. “These voluntary guidelines shouldn’t be seen as a substitute for strong federal action to get junk food out of schools.

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69ý
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management 69ý Want Results When They Spend Big Money. Here's How They're Getting Them
Tying spending to outcomes is a goal many district leaders have. A new model for purchase contracts could make it easier.
7 min read
Illustration of scales balancing books on one end and coins on another.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Reports Strategic Resourcing for K-12 Education: A Work in Progress
This report highlights key findings from surveys of K-12 administrators and product/service providers to shed light on the alignment of purchasing with instructional goals.
School & District Management Download Shhhh!!! It's Underground Spirit Week, Don't Tell the 69ý
Try this fun twist on the Spirit Week tradition.
Illustration of shushing emoji.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion How My Experience With Linda McMahon Can Help You Navigate the Trump Ed. Agenda
I have a lesson for district leaders from my (limited) interactions with Trump’s pick for ed. secretary, writes a former superintendent.
Joshua P. Starr
4 min read
Vector illustration of people walking on upward arrows, symbolizing growth, progress, and teamwork towards success.
iStock/Getty Images