School Beverage Guidelines

The American Beverage Association & The Alliance for a Healthier Generation

America’s leading beverage companies and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation—a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation—are bringing the national School Beverage Guidelines to schools across America.

We’re providing students with a range of lower-calorie, nutritious, smaller-portion beverage options. Full-calorie sodas are being removed from all schools. It’s part of a broader effort to teach children the importance of a balanced diet and exercise.

In September 2008, the beverage industry published the School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report 2007-2008, the second annual report on the implementation of the guidelines. The data measurement and statistics in the report were prepared by Keybridge Research LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based economic analysis and public policy research firm, under the direction of Dr. Robert Wescott. The three markers of progress are:

Calories are coming out of schools. There has been a 58% cut in total calories contained in all beverages shipped to schools between 2004 and the 2007-2008 school year.
The school beverage landscape is changing. There has been a 65% reduction in shipments of full-calorie soft drinks to schools during that time.
School contracts are on track - In two years of a three-year implementation, 79% of all contracts between bottlers and schools or school districts have achieved compliance with the guidelines, on track for the three-year implementation plan.

The School Beverage Guidelines are common sense, supported by science and responsive to concerns about nutrition in schools. The guidelines were developed using the latest nutrition science, including the American Heart Association’s Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Children and 2006 Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations. No wonder the guidelines have been endorsed by 88 percent of doctors and 89 percent of dietitians nationwide (Public Opinion Strategies survey, May 2007).

For more information on how you can support the School Beverage Guidelines, visit www.schoolbeverages.com.

Our School Beverage Guidelines provide the following beverages:

Elementary Schools

Bottled water
Up to 8 ounce servings of milk and 100% juice
- Fat-free or low-fat regular and flavored milk and nutritionally equivalent (per USDA) milk alternatives with up to 150 calories/ 8 ounces
- 100% juice with no added sweeteners, up to 120 calories / 8 ounces, and with at least 10% of the recommended daily value for three or more vitamins and minerals

Middle School

Same as elementary school, except juice and milk may be sold in 10 ounce servings
As a practical matter, if middle school and high school students have shared access to areas on a common campus or in common buildings, then the school community has the option to adopt the high school standard

High School

Bottled water
No- or low-calorie beverages with up to 10 calories / 8 ounces
Up to 12 ounce servings of milk, 100% juice and certain other drinks
- Fat-free or low-fat regular and flavored milk and nutritionally equivalent (per USDA) milk alternatives with up to 150 calories / 8 ounces*
- 100% juice with no added sweeteners, up to 120 calories / 8 ounces, and with at least 10% of the recommended daily value for three or more vitamins and minerals
- Other drinks with no more than 66 calories / 8 ounces
At least 50% of non-milk beverages must be water and no- or low-calorie options

Time of Day

These guidelines apply to all beverages sold on school grounds during the regular and extended school day.
The extended school day includes before and after school activities like clubs, yearbook, band, student government, drama and childcare/latchkey programs.
These guidelines do not apply to school-related events where parents and other adults are part of an audience or are selling beverages as boosters during intermission, as well as immediately before or after an event. Examples of these events include school plays and band concerts.