Sugary and high fat foods will no longer be available in American schools if Congress gets its way. The government has requested the Institute of Medicine to develop a set of standards for food items in schools. The guidelines will help to address Congress’ concerns about the growing rate of childhood obesity in the United States.

This week the Institute came out with a system that will encourage children to eliminate fatty, sugary and salty food from their diets and consume more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Recommended foods and snacks include baby carrots, low sodium crackers, animal crackers, whole grain cereals, 100 percent fruit juice and low-fat milk. The new standards will apply to school cafeterias and vending machines, but not bagged lunches brought from home. Foods like baked potato chips, reduced salt pretzels and caffeine-free diet soda will only be available in high schools after school hours.

These new standards are a much needed step towards improving nutrition within the school system. In some states vending machines have been outlawed, but children need to be supplied with healthy snack choices. Setting new standards for nutrition could set children on a path to better eating that could continue through adulthood.