What is the Department of Agriculture doing to address the sale of carbonated beverages in schools?
Because children have so many opportunities to select foods both inside and outside the school, the issue of competitive foods must be addressed through education and awareness rather than just through regulation. Regulations govern the meal time service, but they do not speak to foods sold outside the meal service. Parents can help children understand the principles of sound nutrition and making healthy food choices. Much of what children learn about eating, they learn at home. Local schools and districts may make rules regarding the sale of carbonated beverages during non-meal service.
Because children have so many opportunities to select foods both inside and outside the school, the issue of competitive foods must be addressed through education and awareness rather than just through regulation. USDA certainly recognizes its obligation to work closely with State and local food service professionals to ensure that children have appealing and nutritious breakfasts and lunches available in the school cafeteria. However, since other foods are available elsewhere in the school, we have forged an active partnership with the U. S. Department of Education to ensure that the education community is aware of these nutrition issues and can lend its support to our efforts. This partnership is particularly important because, in many communities, the sale of carbonated beverages in the schools represents a significant source of revenue to purchase equipment and supplies for the schools. For these reasons, we are working directly with the education community to create and nurture a
