Schools that provide federally reimbursed meal programs must meet federal nutrition standards. But snacks and drinks sold outside of these programs—so-called competitive foods—do not have to meet these requirements. This brief examines the availability of competitive foods, their nutritional content, their impact on students’ food consumption and policies for improving the school food environment.
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Keywords: Beverage contracts, Competitive foods, Fast food, Food service, Fruits and vegetables, Nutrition standards, Restaurant, School meal programs, School wellness policies, Snacks, Sugar-sweetened beverages, Vending machines
Focus Areas: Nutrition Policy & Programs, School & After School
Resource Type: Research Review
Related Research
September 2023
Applied Research Framework: A Guide to Creating Impactful WIC Research Projects and Collaborating with WIC Agencies
The Applied Research Framework aims to help external researchers (e.g., academic or nonprofit researchers) plan, communicate, execute and disseminate research related to WIC. This framework provides a checklist to guide research projects, including advice for building relationships with WIC agencies, descriptions of publicly available WIC-related datasets, and more! WIC agencies may also use this framework MoreJune 2023
Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 Waivers in WIC on Participation, Fruit and Vegetable Purchases, and Nutrition Disparities: A Natural Experiment
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has well-documented benefits for low-income mothers and children. Yet, coverage of eligible individuals is incomplete, participants do not fully utilize benefits, and dietary disparities persist. It is unknown whether COVID-related changes to WIC, particularly the increase in the value of the fruit and vegetable MoreJune 2023