Competitive Foods

about competitive foods in the Healthy Schools Act

Competitive foods are those foods and beverages available or sold outside of the federally-reimbursable school breakfast and lunch programs. Competitive foods are available in vending machines, a la carte lines, snack bars, and other places in the school. They also include foods and beverages provided for school fundraisers and student rewards.

Competitive foods matter to health and nutrition efforts in schools because these foods and beverages are often high in calories and low in nutrients. Making these unhealthy foods available at schools undermines efforts to promote healthy diets and prevent obesity.

Further, competitive foods literally compete with healthy school meals. When competitive foods are available, participation in school lunch and breakfast decreases. In some school cafeterias, the sales of competitive foods end up being subsidized by federal school meal reimbursement.

Children from low-income families are especially harmed by the presence of competitive foods. Peer pressure and stigma can drive students to purchase competitive foods or skip free and reduced-price meals.

Title II of the Healthy Schools Act now requires competitive foods in D.C. Public Schools and public charter schools to meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s HealthierUS School Challenge Gold Award Level standards (pdf) for competitive foods. This requirement builds on the DCPS Local Wellness Policy (pdf), adopted in 2006, which prohibits the sale of sodas, candy, and other unhealthy foods in student-accessible vending machines.

put the Act into action!

The competitive food provisions of the Healthy Schools Act govern all beverages, food, and snacks provided or sold in public schools and public charter schools. These include beverages and foods sold or provided through school stores, vending machines, fundraisers, snacks, afterschool meals, or other means.

These requirements apply to foods and beverages used as prizes, incentives, and awards, and to foods and beverages advertised and marketed in schools.

To comply with the competitive foods section of Title II of the Act, your school must:

1. Meet the HealthierUS School Challenge Gold Award Level requirements (pdf) - food and beverages sold in vending machines, cafeteria a la carte lines, school stores, and snack bars or foods and beverages provided for school fundraisers, and student rewards.

USDA’s Competitive Foods Calculator can help you determine whether a food or beverage meets HealthierUS Challenge Gold Level standards.

Check out these healthy fundraising resources from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

a) Portion size – equal to or smaller than items served in the school lunch program; or in packages of 200 calories or less
b) Fat –

  • 35% or less of calories from total fat (excludes nuts and reduced-fat cheese)
  • Trans-fat free
  • 10% or less of calories from saturated fat (excludes reduced-fat cheese)

c) Sugar - 35% or less sugar by weight (excludes fruits, vegetables, and milk)
d) Sodium –

  • 480 mg or less per side dish?
  • 600 mg or less per entrée?

e) Beverages - limited to low-fat or fat-free milk, 100% fruit/vegetable juice, or water

Note: These requirements for competitive foods do not apply to food and beverages available only to staff and faculty, food provided at no cost by parents, food sold or provided at official after-school events, or food and beverages served at adult education programs. However, schools, parents, and others can encourage all members of the school community to help promote healthy eating.

2. Not allow third parties (other than school-related organizations and school meal service providers) to sell foods or beverages on school property from 90 minutes before the school day begins until 90 minutes after the school day ends.

Enforcement: The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is responsible for enforcing the competitive food provisions of the Act. OSSE will first issue a warning when a school is violating the competitive food provisions of the Act. After issuing a warning, if the violation is not corrected, OSEE may impose a penalty, not to exceed $500 per day paid to the Healthy Schools Fund. Schools have the right to a hearing if that request is made within 10 days after the notice of imposition of penalty is set.

If you see a violation, you may want to work with your school to resolve the problem by sharing information about the competitive food provisions of the Healthy Schools Act with your school’s leaders. You can report the violation by contacting the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Wellness and Nutrition Services, at: 202.724.2127 or email Sandy Schlicker, Director of Wellness and Nutrition Services, at: sandra.schlicker@dc.gov. You also can contact D.C. Hunger Solutions.