Soda and sugar are going by the wayside in the Bellevue School District.

Following the lead of other area school districts — including Seattle — the Bellevue School Board adopted a nutrition policy last night that says goodbye to licorice, Gummy Bears and breath mints in school vending machines and student stores. When school starts in September, students will have more nutritious choices, such as beef jerky, granola bars, nuts, pretzels and trail mix.

"I'm very excited the district has decided to step up and support a strong nutrition policy," said Ann Lanning, who has three children in Bellevue schools. "We're helping kids make healthy choices."

Starting in the 2006-07 school year in Bellevue schools, beverages sold or served before or during school hours will be limited to water, low-fat or nonfat milk, fruit juice, carbonated fruit juice and sports drinks.

Currently, the district mandates that at least 50 percent of the beverages sold in vending machines and student stores be either water, milk, juice or sports drink.

The new policy also encourages teachers to offer treats other than food for student rewards. The board stopped short of banning cupcakes from classroom festivities, but the district is strongly encouraging parents to find healthier alternatives to celebrate their child's birthday in class or for other celebrations.

Bellevue is complying with a new state law that requires school districts to review their nutrition and physical-education polices by this month. Other districts, such as Everett, Seattle, Edmonds, Lake Washington and Northshore, also have passed nutrition policies that ban some junk foods and limit the amount of soda sold in vending machines and student stores.

The board still is deciding whether to limit selling individual items of 250 calories or more. That policy would rule out allowing low-fat foods such as Lean Cuisine or Weight Watchers frozen meals from being sold at student stores, said Elaine Stillwell, Sammamish High School student store manager.

Rachel Tuinstra: 206-515-5637 or rtuinstra@seattletimes.com