Supervisor Farrell introduces citywide healthy snack food and beverage policy for vending, meetings and concessions on city property

Supervisor Mark Farrell introduced the "healthy snack food and beverage" policy at the Jan. 12 Board of Supervisors meeting, describing the proposal as “one of the strongest policies in the country” to set nutrition standards for food and drinks sold or served on city property.

Farrell said the legislation would do three things: set nutrition standards and guidelines for vending machines on city property, require departments to use their “best efforts” to ensure food and beverage purchased with city funds for meetings or city‑sponsored events meet the nutrition guidelines, and encourage restaurants and concessions on city property to offer a balance of healthier options.

Farrell said the vending-machine standards were developed in consultation with the American Heart Association, the Department of Public Health and the Health Service System, and that they would apply prospectively to new contracts and city property contracts entered into after the policy takes effect. The policy includes limits on calories and on the types of prepackaged foods that could be offered in city vending machines, he said.

Farrell framed the measure as city government “leading by example” and said the aim was to promote healthier choices for more than 28,000 city employees and reduce long‑term health care costs to taxpayers. He named staff and outside partners who assisted in drafting the standards.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Farrell asked the board to accept the introduction; the measure was submitted for further action and was not voted on at the January 12 meeting.