Healthy Food and Drink Policies

San Francisco cares about your health and is making the food and drinks sold or served on city property healthier for everyone. 

In 2016, San Francisco passed a policy requiring all food and drinks sold in vending machines on City property to meet nutritional standards. 

Now, our vending machines offer healthy and affordable food and drinks by:  

• Replacing sugary drinks with healthier drink choices 
• Requiring foods to meet nutritional standards and calorie labeling requirements 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is a sugary drink?

Sugary drinks have one or more added caloric sweeteners and contain more than 25 calories per 12 ounces of beverage. Sugary drinks do not include: 

• Milk 
• 100% fruit juice 
• Infant formula 
• Medical food, or a supplemental meal replacement or sole-source nutrition 

What is "prepackaged" food?

Prepackaged foods are any foods that are prepared elsewhere and packaged before it is sold, like in vending machines. 

How will this policy affect me?  

• DPH vending machines will not contain sugary drinks.  
• Packaged foods in DPH vending machines will meet nutritional guidelines and standards. 
• DPH staff will provide healthy options and will not offer sugary drinks at meetings and events on DPH property.

Nutritional Standards

Prepackaged foods in vending machines on city property shall meet the following standards:

• No more than 200 calories per serving 
• No more than 35% of calories from fat 
• No more 1g of saturated fat per serving 
• No trans-fat or partially hydrogenated oil on ingredients list 
• No more than 35% of total weight from total sugars 
• No more than 240mg of sodium per serving 
• No candy (except for sugar free mints & gum) 
• No chips (except for baked or pretzels) 

Foods that do not need to meet these nutritional standards:

• Fruit & vegetables with no added sugars, salt, or fat 
• Nut & seeds (including peanut butter & other nut butters), but a serving cannot exceed 1.5oz. 
• Plant based spreads (i.e. hummus, guacamole) 
• Low-fat, fat-free, & reduced fat cheeses (light cream cheese included) 

Healthy Food at Meetings

DPH and its Contractors may not use City Funds to purchase sugary drinks. 

DPH employees who order, authorize, and purchase refreshments must use their best efforts to ensure foods and beverages served at DPH events meet these nutritional standards: 

• Water available and accessible (not bottled water) 
• Food items should be in smaller portions as possible 
• Vegetarian/vegan options available as possible 
• Minimally processed foods without added sugar, are low sodium 
• Healthy cooking techniques: baking, roasting, grilling, broiling, poaching, steaming, stir fry, 
• Foods contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving 

If foods are prepackaged, they must meet the nutrition guidelines outlined for vending machines.