MCPS announced it would be following the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) new Smart Snacks rule, which limits items to 230 mg of sodium and caffeinated sports and isotonic beverages to high schools only. The milk, fruit juice and water rules will remain in schools.

According to the MCPS website, the rule is in an effort to promote and maintain a healthy school environment.

Schools must also follow the new nutritional requirements for foods sold 30 minutes after school lets out. This new regulation will affect CHS students who rely on the vending machines and pizza sales to provide them with after school snacks for sports and other fundraising.

Several CHS clubs and honors societies rely on pizza sales for fundraising.

“It will adversely affect us because that is a main source of how we raise our money,” senior and Science National Honors Society member Matthew Weston-Dawkes said.

Despite students’ disapproval, the rules have nutritional benefits that teachers and parents appreciate.

“The new requirements by the USDA are to improve diet and overall health of American children,” school nurse Deborah Stapleton said. “The rules will benefit CHS students by limiting foods available for purchase to those that meet the new nutrition standards.”