Hey, Snickers, Leave Those Kids Alone

You can't get a bag of chips, but you can get the morning-after pill.

Food for thought is taking on a new meaning as students across the nation begin a new school year. Chicago is just one of many school districts that have mobilized to replace high-fat, high-sugar foods and drinks with healthier choices in vending machines and cafeteria à la carte lines. Students returning to schools in cities such as Washington will see good-for-you foods in vending machines for the first time this fall.

This year alone, 42 state legislatures have enacted or proposed measures that require or recommend nutritional guidance for schools, says Carla Plaza of Health Policy Tracking Service, which reports on state health legislation. Some set limits for elementary and middle schools but give high schools more choices. Others propose standards that would apply to all grades.

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