State bans ‘junk food’ for public K-8 schools
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The Tennessee Board of Education has established new rules about what can be sold in school vending machines. Under the new guidelines, so called “junk foods” such as chips, candy and soft drinks are on the way out, while healthier choices, like milk, fruit juices and nuts will be taking their place.
The move is a popular one with school health advocates who have been lobbying to get these kind of rules in place for years. But while the advocates can claim an important win, it’s not a total victory. The rules will only apply in public schools grades K-8. High schools and private schools are exempt.
One of the reasons offered for this disparity is that older students should have more choices, but most people agree the main reason is some schools are opposed to giving up the extra revenues that come in from these machines which fund all sorts of school needs.
At the elementary level, the rules are fairly extensive. They will affect all vending machines, snack bars, school stores, packaged cafeteria items, and even items used for fund-raising. The guidelines will also require smaller serving sizes and restrictions on the amount of fat, salt and sugar allowed in foods.
Still, school administrators shouldn’t be too concerned about loss of profits. The rules don’t ban vending machines altogether. They just place restrictions on what can be sold.
The reaction from Warren County school officials has been generally positive, although some have reportedly been concerned about the loss of funds during the transition since no one knows whether the healthy snacks will sell as well as the traditional items.
But all agree the move is a good one as far as student health and well-being. And in fact, according to Cheryl Kelley, director of the Coordinated School Health Program, Warren County is already ahead of many state school systems since it is one of 10 in the state involved in a pilot program which has provided grants to fund efforts to improve diet and health among its students.
“We’re kind of ahead of the game when this law passes,” Kelley said. “We’ve already instituted a lot of changes in those pilot schools.”
One of the grants allowed schools to purchase milk vending machines, or set up carts with healthy snacks. The grants provided seed money and, once started, the carts and machines have been self-supporting and are even providing profits which go directly back to the schools.
“It’s really worked out wonderfully,” Kelley said.
Bobby Ray Elementary is one of those schools and principal Bonnie Collier said the school has been providing healthy alternatives since the beginning of this academic year.
“Our students visit a healthy snack cart once a week on Friday afternoon,” Collier said. “And generally the things they purchase are fruit, pretzels, yogurt and popcorn. So we’ve already started moving toward healthier snacks for students at Bobby Ray.”
Some items are purchased in bulk by teaching assistants and then bagged for the children to purchase from the cart.
Kelley feels diet and health have a direct impact on a student’s academic performance and that the new rules are a great step forward.
“The mantra of school health is, ‘Healthy students make better learners,'” Kelley said. “We need to connect the fact that healthy students maybe have better test scores.”
Hickory Creek principal Donald Prater agrees and says the new rules make good sense.
“It helps them develop a healthy lifestyle,” Prater said. “It helps their performance, and it just makes them feel better. It helps everything.”