Twenty years ago, America’s beverage companies made a promise to parents—and we delivered.

In 2006, in partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, we launched the National School Beverage Guidelines to put parents in the driver’s seat when it comes to what their children drink at school.

The result was a fundamental shift in the K–12 beverage landscape, including the nationwide removal of full-calorie soft drinks during the regular and extended school day. According to an independent evaluation, beverage calories shipped to schools dropped by 94%*—one of the largest calorie-reduction efforts ever tied to a voluntary industry initiative.

Today, schools offer water, milk, and 100% fruit juice in age-appropriate portions, with mid-calorie drinks like sports beverages allowed only in high school.

This voluntary initiative was so impactful in reducing calories that it ultimately helped shape the beverage component of the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools, creating a consistent framework for healthier school environments nationwide.

Two decades later, the School Beverage Guidelines remain an enduring example of how collaboration among industry, public health stakeholders, and families can achieve measurable, lasting results.

As conversations around children’s health continue, our focus remains the same: empowering families with the choices and information they need to make the decisions that are right for them.

Learn more at BalanceUS.org

*Data compiled by Keybridge Research (Oct. 14, 2012)