Forget the fudge.

• Author: Brown, Elizabeth Nolan
• Position: Bake sale ban - School nutritional guidelines - Brief article

In many schools, fudge brownies and gooey Rice Krispies treats may soon be relegated to the dustbin of bake-sale history. As part of new federal nutrition guidelines, academies across the U.S. will nix empty-calorie treats on campus, even when sold as part of student fundraisers. This bad news for marching-band budgets everywhere comes courtesy of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, one of First Lady Michelle Obama's pet projects.

But don't put all the blame on federal lawmakers for the bake-sale crackdown: States were given an opportunity to opt out, and many declined. Per the new law, all food and drinks sold on school property during daytime hours--including items in vending machines and at bake sale booths--must meet various...