School Vending Machines and Food Rewards And What Could Be... What Is...

84% of food sold in Kentucky school vending machines is considered to be junk food.

What could be... Schools require that foods sold in vending machines meet nutritional guidelines and limit times foods are sold. Handout Alert!

What Is... Most KY schools have become dependent on revenue generated by selling unhealthy foods to student body. What Could Be...   Schools could be adequately funded so they didn’t feel it was necessary to exploit students’ health for revenues.   A careful study of what schools use vending revenue for could be undertaken. Alternative funding sources could be tapped.

What Is... 88% of KY schools use unhealthy food to reward student behavior and academic performance. What Could Be... Reward systems other than food could be used. Healthy eating behaviors could be practiced consistently throughout the school, not just preached.

What we’ll cover   Vending in Schools   Soft Drink Sales in Schools: Exclusive Pouring Rights Contracts   Milk Vending Machines   Food Used As Rewards in School

Vending Machines in Schools Vending Machines in Schools Competitive Foods: Foods that are sold in competition with school lunch and breakfast program   vending machines   school stores

Why Competitive Foods Are of Concern Are commonly foods that can contribute to health problems Stigmatize participation in school meals program Affects viability of school meals programs Sends students a mixed message

The only regulation the USDA has been able to establish regarding competitive food sales is: Prohibit the sale of Foods of Minimum Nutritional Value from being sold in food service area during meal periods.

Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value (FMNV) Provide Less Than 5% of RDA for Key Nutrients

FMNV Include: soft drinks ices gum candy made predominantly from sugar – jellybeans, hard candy FMNV does not include: FMNV does not include:   potato chips & fried snacks chocolate candy pastries cookies/cakes

Policy of Minimal Nutritional Value Any food can be sold on school campus all day long outside of cafeteria. USDA regulations allow state agencies and school food authorities to establish rules to control sale of competitive food.

KY passed a regulation that restricts the sale of competitive food until 1/2 hour after close of last lunch.

Take Action ! When you visit schools, check to see if vending machines are on before ½ hour after lunch is served. Report to school food service manager.

Jefferson County Board of Education voted to request that the State Board of Education grant them a waiver, allowing them to have vending machines on all day in high schools if products meet nutritional guidelines.

Other States Vending Regulations   California banned soda sales in elementary schools.   Los Angeles banned soft drink sales in all public schools (elementary, middle and high) during school hours.   West Virginia and Florida prohibit sale of all competitive foods and beverages in elementary schools.   West Virginia has detailed nutrition standards for competitive foods sold in middle and high schools.   North Carolina requires that foods sold in schools must contribute to nutritional well-being of child and and establishing good food habits.   Maine prohibits all food sales on school campuses during school hours that aren’t a part of school meals.

Exclusive Pouring Rights Contracts Soda companies and school districts or schools enter into a contractual agreement in which the districts or schools grant exclusive sale rights to a particular soda company.

In KY, 56% of schools have exclusive pouring rights contracts. Nationally, 47% of schools have exclusive pouring rights contracts.

How much revenue are we talking about? LOTS! Louisville Jefferson County-$1.1 million profits Lexington Fayette County-$275,000 annual commission guarantee California   1 time payments to distribute ranged from $55,000 to $ 1 million   Yearly payments $25,000 - $80,000

Items beverage contracts may include: Large bonus payments Financial incentives for increased soda sales Advertising & promotion Limited school control over product selection and machine placement 1 – 10 year contracts

How to Improve Soft Drink Contracts in Schools Set school district policies that ensure students have more access to healthy beverages than to unhealthy beverages. Administer beverage contracts as part of the school district’s overall child nutrition program. Widely publicize and solicit public comment before entering into beverage contracts at individual schools and school districts. Eliminate confidentiality clauses that prohibit school districts from sharing with the general public all facts associated with their beverage contracts. Eliminate school advertising and promotional events that promote unhealthy beverages. Establish a committee of school personnel, students, parents and community health professionals to evaluate and improve school district beverage policy. Fund schools and student activities adequately so they do not have to rely on student soft drink consumption to fund educational and extracurricular needs. Handout Alert!

Press Release from Coca-Cola 08/02: Supports adoption of non-exclusive contracts with schools Seeks to provide a wider and more nutritious variety of beverages Honors wishes of schools re: times of sales and machine placement Will put non-commercial signage on machines

Milk Machines 5-month vending study in high schools Bottom line – Many students will choose milk over other beverages if it is available when, where & how they want it.

What Students Liked About Vended Milk Availability Attractive containers Variety of flavors Colder temperatures “High-end product” – considered “cool”

Issues to consider to get milk machines in schools  Machines  Product supplies  Stocking product  Where profits go -school -school food service Handout Alert!

If I Were Queen of Vended Milk Sales  8 ounce containers  Less sweet formulation for flavored milks  Recycled plastic or gabled cartons with “cool” graphics  1% or Less Fat

Food Used As Rewards in Schools 88% of KY schools use food as rewards Most common food rewards in KY schools  Pizza  Candy  Soft drinks  Ice cream

Advantages of Using Food as Rewards  Easy  Inexpensive  Short-term behavior changes

Disadvantages  Foods commonly used as rewards can contribute to health problems  Food preferences for both sweet and non-sweet snack foods increase significantly when food is presented as a reward  May interfere with learning to eat in response to hunger and satiety cues  May contribute to “disordered eating”

Alternatives to Food Rewards Elementary school:   Privileges   School supplies   No homework   Teacher performs special skills (cart wheels, plays guitar, …) Middle school:   Extra credit   Listen to music   Assemblies/Field trips   Computer time High school:   Extra credit   Donated coupons (video store, CD’s, movie)   Drawings for donated prizes   Reduction in homework Handout Alert!

Schools are a microcosm of the problems of America’s current way of eating.

“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world – indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” - -Margaret Mead