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San Francisco Unified School District Healthy Food Policy

A Good Idea

Description

SFUSD’s Board of Education resolved to rid the schools of soda and junk food beginning with the 2003-04 school year in January 2003. A district nutrition and physical activity committee was formed. A successful pilot program began at the Aptos Middle School in January 2003 where the students were surveyed to determine the preferred choices of healthy foods. A new policy brought the Aptos nutrition standard to every school in the District by the start of the 2003-2004 school year.

Goal / Mission

SFUSD aimed to provide students with healthy and appealing food choices and to diminish the dependence of schools and school-related organizations on selling unhealthy foods.

Results / Accomplishments

The program discontinued the sale of sodas and unhealthy snacks by the beginning of the 2003-2004 school year and is now suggesting ways to replace revenues currently secured through the sale of these items. The pilot program at Aptos Middle School was successful in turning a formerly money-losing cafeteria operation into a money maker by the end of the year. When the polciy was implemented districtwide, results also included reduced litter on the yard and improved student behavior after lunch. The school principal credited the removal of junk food as one of two reasons for a 50% reduction in suspension rate over the previous year.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD)
Primary Contact
Zetta Reicker
San Francisco Unified School District
555 Franklin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-749-3604 x13220
reickerz@sfusd.edu
http://www.sfusdfood.org
Topics
Health / Physical Activity
Health / Adolescent Health
Organization(s)
San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD)
Date of publication
2004
Date of implementation
2003
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
San Francisco
For more details
http://www.sfusdfood.org/aptos.html
Target Audience
Children, Teens

Related Promising Practices

  1. Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child-Care (NAP SACC)
  2. School Nutrition Policy Initiative
  3. Students for Nutrition and Exercise (SNaX)
  4. BetterU
  5. Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH)
  6. Head to Toe Weight Management Program

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Related Content for: San Francisco Unified School District Healthy Food Policy

A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.