At a glance
- Food and beverage marketing is present throughout schools, easily seen by students.
- Schools can affect food and beverage marketing by ensuring that it meets the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
- Schools can promote healthful food and beverage choices.
Why it's important
Marketing for foods and beverages can be seen in schools on posters, the fronts of vending machines, textbook covers, and scoreboards.
Local school wellness policies are required to address food and beverage marketing. For instance, policies can promote only foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks nutrition standards.
Schools can help students make healthy choices by promoting healthful foods and beverages. Some low-cost ideas include:
- Take suggestions from students and families for nutritious meals and snacks.
- Do taste tests of new menu items and ask for students' feedback.
- Place nutritious items in easily accessible areas (examples: front of the school meal line or near the cash register).
- Create attractive displays for fruits and vegetables.
- Have lower prices for nutritious foods and beverages and higher prices for less nutritious foods and beverages.
- Have signs or verbal prompts to encourage students to try healthy foods.