Section 1: Food & Nutrition Guideline #1: OST programs do not serve or allow sugary drinks
How this Guideline Helps OST Youth If a child consumes sugary drinks instead of healthier beverages, they miss out on important nutrients that are needed for their growth and development. A perfect example is milk that has calcium and vitamin D needed for bone health. Because Americans are drinking more sugary beverages in place of milk, most are not getting enough of either nutrient. Too many calories from sugary drinks can be a cause of unhealthy weight gain and other health problems, like diabetes and heart disease. Too many sugary drinks can cause tooth decay and cavities.
Tips for OST Programs To Keep Programs Free of Sugary Drinks Try the Rethink Your Drink lesson with youth in your program, so youth can see how much sugar they are getting in their favorite beverages. This works at parent meetings too! Send a note home to parents and caregivers about a sugary drink-free environment and do a lesson on sugary drinks at a program, open-house or enrollment event. Change vending machine selections to include healthier options. Talk with the local corner store and fast food sites about having healthier drinks available for youth. Create a sugary-drink free poster contest! Ask youth to keep their sugary drinks in their school bag during OST time. Call parents and remind them of the sugary drink policy at OST sites. Be a role model – only serve healthy beverages in OST programs, celebrations and events. Model the behavior you want to see! Drink water and do not consume sugar sweetened beverages on site.
Additional Resources Available: see “Sugary Drinks and Healthy Beverages” handout in Nutrition Resources section.
Healthy Living Guidelines for Out-of-School Time Programs Toolkit
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