COMMUNITY FOOD ENVIRONMENT:
ENACT STRATEGY: Pass Food Policies
Pass local food policies requiring all food and snacks purchased with government funds to meet good nutrition standards.
One clear starting point for shifting food environments to provide healthier options is to focus on government facilities/events and foods purchased with government funding. Regulations about which foods to serve at government facilities/events or which foods to purchase with government funds can vary -- from standards that follow the USDA's nutrition guidelines to those that limit or completely eliminate junk food and ensure that healthy options are available. Regardless of the standards that are adopted, it is important to set in place very specific guidelines that support the food policy (see Local Food Policy Standards below). The decision as to how far reaching a local government's food standards should be and can vary:
- Standards may apply only to foods served in government buildings;
- Standards may extend to all foods purchased with government funds (e.g. if a local organization purchases food for an event with government funding, those foods would have to meet the local food policy standards,
- Standards may apply very broadly to all groups that receive government funding, regardless of whose funds they use to purchase foods (e.g. a group that receives government funding has to apply the local food policy standards for their own facility and events).
In order to support the food policy, it is necessary to provide adequate education around the guidelines and why they are important as well as training for those who will select and purchase foods.
Characteristics of Local Food Policies Standards
- Only allowing foods that meet general USDA guidelines
- Only allowing foods that meet other nutrition standards, e.g. the SB19 standards of fat, sugar and portion size
- Promoting fresh local foods
Model Programs and Success Stories
'Health Department Staff Create Self Sustaining Healthy Snack Bar’
This article describes a successful effort to apply nutrition standards into a North Carolina community. The Community Change Chronicles is a newsletter distributed by Eat Smart, Move More…North Carolina.
The panel provides a thorough model for establishing food standards in new food arenas, such as competitive foods or government-funded foods.
The Local Food Purchase Policy in Woodbury County, Iowa requires purchase of locally produced organic food by County Departments that regularly serve food.
Public Vending Machines in City Facilities
The Chula Vista Public Vending Machine Policy passed by the City Council requires that 100% of food and beverages sold in city facilities (including community centers, office buildings, and gymnasiums) meet the established nutrition standards.