The federal government should mandate healthier snack and beverage options for schools, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended in a report requested by Congress. The report is expected to fuel federal efforts to restrict the sale of snack foods and beverages in vending machines and as à la carte items outside of the federal school breakfast and lunch programs. The IOM said that opportunities for children to purchase snack foods and drinks should be limited, and that most snack foods should consist of nutritious fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat milk and dairy products. The IOM also recommended that student access to soda and sports drinks be severely limited. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) are sponsoring legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update its school nutrition standards. “USDA currently uses outdated and incoherent nutritional guidelines for school foods,” Sen. Harkin said in a statement. “Making matters worse, those guidelines apply only to the school cafeteria during mealtime. Kids need only walk outside of the cafeteria in order to purchase soft drinks, chips, and candy bars. This is a junk food loophole big enough to drive a soda pop delivery truck through.”
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