Chicago Public Schools Expands “Healthy CPS” Initiative with New Healthy Snack and Beverage Policy

Posted by on November 15, 2012 in Health | Comments Off on Chicago Public Schools Expands “Healthy CPS” Initiative with New Healthy Snack and Beverage Policy

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - HealthChicago Public Schools (CPS) will take steps to expand the Healthy CPS initiative launched last month with a new Healthy Snack and Beverage Policy that updates guidelines and sets new standards for healthy food and drinks in schools across the District, including the food and drink offered in vending machines, and encourages schools to promote healthy options during in-school celebrations.

The new policy’s nutrition requirements will further ensure that all CPS schools align with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC), a key component of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative. The HUSSC requires schools to demonstrate efforts around healthy food, nutrition education and physical activity. In October, CPS received a $4.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support the launch of Healthy CPS, a comprehensive initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of Chicago’s students, including the development of this new Healthy Snack and Beverages Policy and a Local School Wellness Policy, which was approved by the Board last month. Additionally, this school year, for the first time in almost three decades, all elementary school students have access to recess, a critical piece of Healthy CPS and the full school day and an important part of helping students stay active, healthy and engaged during the school day.

Under the policy, foods and beverages sold to students on school grounds, outside of meals that are already part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program, such as in vending machines and a la carte items sold in dining centers, will meet the District’s nutritional standards. The standards are clearly outlined in the policy and place strict limits in areas such as calories per serving, saturated fat and sodium and include:

  • No more than 35 percent of total calories from fat per serving, and zero transfats
  • Less than 230 mg of sodium for a snack or side dish
  • Milk must be either low-fat or no fat, and limited to 8 fluid ounces
  • Juice serving sizes are restricted to 6 ounces in elementary schools and 8 ounces in high schools.

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