The Healthy Nutrition Guidelines were developed by the Food Procurement Workgroup. This workgroup includes members from state agencies, local health departments, and other organizations.
These Guidelines are based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 (DGA 2010).”
The Guidelines are also adapted from:
- Public Health—Seattle & King County “Healthy Vending Guidelines”
- U.S. General Services Administration “Health and Sustainability Guidelines for Federal Concessions and Vending Operations”
- RAND Corporation “Performance Standards for Restaurants”
Guiding Principles
- Emphasize fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Minimize the use of processed foods that contain added sugar and sodium.
- Recommend use of healthy cooking techniques, such as baking, roasting, broiling, grilling, poaching, steaming, and stir frying. Recommend no use of deep fryers.
- Serve high-calorie items in smaller portions (e.g., mini muffins or 2 inch cookies), while still maintaining overall calorie and nutrient requirements.
- Work toward reducing overall sodium content.