This year marks the 20th anniversary of a quiet yet powerful transformation in America’s schools – one that continues to shape what millions of students drink every day.
In 2006, America’s beverage companies introduced the National School Beverage Guidelines to make sure parents were in the driver’s seat when it comes to what their children have for beverages in school. This voluntary industry initiative — done in collaboration with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation — removed full-calorie drinks from schools. It was so effective at reducing calories that the beverage component of the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools were largely based on them.
The industry action has delivered lasting, measurable results:
- Full-calorie soft drinks were removed from schools nationwide during the regular and extended school day;
- Beverage calories in schools dropped by 94%;
- Schools now offer water, milk, and 100% fruit juice in age-appropriate portions across all grade levels (mid-calorie drinks like sports drinks are allowed in high school only).
As policymakers debate new public health strategies, this 20-year milestone is a reminder that meaningful change doesn’t always begin with mandates. The Guidelines accounted for the kinds of beverages that parents said their children should be allowed to have, depending on their age – one of many examples of America’s beverage companies working with public health stakeholders and consumers to achieve measurable, lasting results.