Implement practices to promote healthier choices in vending machines and snack bars

Rationale: Integrating behavioral design features — such as point-of-choice labeling and pricing incentives — at locations where food is available supports healthy nutritional choices, contributing to increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduced risk of diet-related diseases.

Requirements

Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below:

Option 1 - Healthy Food Choice Practices (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all of the following requirements:

1. Implement healthier food choice practices in one of the following:

• all vending machines and snack bars that serve building occupants only
• a vending machine or snack bar retail area that is open to the public.

2. Implement a minimum of three of the following qualifying healthy food and beverage selection practices within each identified vending machine and/or snack bar:

• employing point-of-choice nutrition labeling on all food items offered
• featuring package design(s) that highlights healthy food and beverage options
• prioritize healthy food and beverage options through displays or layouts
• featuring healthy food and beverage options as the default
• controlling food and beverage portion sizes.

Healthier food options must meet the Type D Food and Nutrition Requirements of the Fitwel Food and Beverage Standard.

3. Implement a minimum of one of the following qualifying pricing incentives to encourage the purchase of healthier food options:

• offering healthy food and beverage options at a lower price than other food and beverage options
• highlighting healthy food options by providing free samples
• providing discounts on healthy meals and menu items
• offering rotating pricing specials on healthy food items
• offering free fruits or vegetables and charging for other food items, if available.

Healthier food options must meet the Type D Food and Nutrition Requirements of the Fitwel Food and Beverage Standard.

4. Ensure the vending machines and/or snack bars that implement the healthier food choice practices are located within a 1/4-mile or 400-meter walking route of a main building entrance.

Option 2 - Healthy Food Selection Practices (Partial Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all of the following requirements:

1. Implement healthier food selection practices in one of the following:

• all vending machines and snack bars that serve building occupants only
• a vending machine or snack bar retail area that is open to the public.

2. Implement a minimum of three of the following qualifying healthy food and beverage selection practices within each identified prepared food area(s):

• employing point-of-choice nutrition labeling on all food items offered
• featuring package design(s) that highlights healthy food and beverage options
• prioritize healthy food and beverage options through displays or layouts
• featuring healthy food and beverage options as the default
• controlling food and beverage portion sizes.

Healthier food options must meet the Type D Food and Nutrition Requirements of the Fitwel Food and Beverage Standard.

Option 3 - Healthy Food Pricing Incentives (Partial Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all of the following requirements:

1. Implement healthier food pricing incentives in one of the following:

• all vending machines and snack bars that serve building occupants only
• a vending machine or snack bar retail area that is open to the public.

2. Implement a minimum of one of the following qualifying pricing incentives to encourage the purchase of healthier food options:

• offering healthy food and beverage options at a lower price than other food and beverage options
• highlighting healthy food options by providing free samples
• providing discounts on healthy meals and menu items
• offering rotating pricing specials on healthy food items
• offering free fruits or vegetables and charging for other food items, if available.

Healthier food options must meet the Type D Food and Nutrition Requirements of the Fitwel Food and Beverage Standard.

3. Ensure the vending machines and/or snack bars that implement the healthier food pricing practices are located within a 1/4-mile or 400-meter walking route of a main building entrance.

Compliance Documentation

Types of compliance documentation required:

• Annotated design plans
• Certified statements
• Annotated photographs