Caption by Ashmar Mandou

The City of Chicago announced new nutritional standards for foods and beverages sold or served on city-owned property. The executive order, which was signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson last week, is designed to ensure that low fat, low sugar, culturally appropriate food options are made available in city facilities, while also improving access for residents in low-income areas who have limited choices, according to the Mayor’s office. According to the City of Chicago, all City agencies will be subject to mandatory purchasing guidelines for any food sold or served on City property by defining terms and establishing best practice guidelines. The new standards will help City partners and non-profits to guide their own purchasing. Currently, there is no specific standard of what defines “nutritious food” shared as a norm across the city. Improving efficiency and increasing access to nutritious food is especially vital as the federal government is moving to cut access to SNAP and food benefits from thousands of Chicagoans. The full text of the Executive Order is available on the City Clerk’s Website. City of Chicago partnered with the Chicago Department for Public Health (CDPH).