It was concern regarding the increasing obesity, especially amongst young people, which prompted Congress to ask the Institute of Medicine to develop a set of standards for foods that should be on sale in schools.
The Institute's response proposes nutritional standards which are in fact more restrictive than current government rules for foods and drinks sold outside regular meal programs in cafeterias, vending machines and school stores in elementary, middle and high schools.
The Institute's 15-member panel led by Dr. Virginia Stallings of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, has come with a two-tiered system which aims to encourage youngsters to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and to avoid added sugars, salt and saturated fats.
The panel say their recommendation applies not only to children but also suggests Parent Teacher Associations apply the same standards to food items sold at school fundraisers.
Foods sold in school cafeterias are already required to meet nutritional standards which do not apply to lunches that students bring from home.
Congress will now consider the recommendations but putting them into practice will involve federal, state or local laws and school standards and policies.
Foods listed as Tier 1 would be allowed at all grade levels during the school day and during after-school activities and include snacks such as whole fruit, raisins, carrot sticks, whole-grain low-sugar cereals, some multigrain tortilla chips, some granola bars and nonfat yogurt with no more than 30 grams of added sugars.