| OooOo |
Ontario to announce foods banned from schools
October 20, 2004
TORONTO -- Education Minister Gerard Kennedy will announce Wednesday a specific list of junk foods to be banned from Ontario's elementary schools.
The provincial government worked with nutritionists to come up with guidelines listing foods that should be removed from schools and more nutritional replacements.
Earlier this month, Kennedy said he would move to ban junk food from vending machines in elementary schools because not all school boards were doing so voluntarily.
Last fall, Kennedy said he wanted all elementary schools to get rid of junk food by the start of this school year. But he said dozens of Ontario's 72 school boards still haven't complied with the request.
Kennedy said he has no plans to ban junk food from high schools because older students are free to leave school property to buy their lunches and snacks.
Banned:
* pop
* fruit "drinks"
* sports drinks
* chips
* candy bars
* cookies
* chocolate covered granola bars
Allowed:
* 100 per cent fruit juice
* milk
* pretzels
* popcorn
* muffins with less than 2 grams of saturated fat)
* crackers
* granola
All super-sized portions will be banned, and all servings of milk and juice will be limited to no more than 250 ml in size.
Government says that school boards that have contracts with vendors will be able to continue them for some months.
The junk food hit list was compiled by some of the best dietitians in the country. They also include cautions for school principals and teachers to beware of theme days, like pizza days, when pop and chips are featured as special treats. |