We are focused on the health of our school environment. Our school district has established nutrition standards for all snacks sold in school by any entity, including parent/student organizations, teachers, boosters, fundraisers, or the food and nutrition services department. These standards for snack sales are in effect from any time before school through 1/2 hour after school, in accordance with the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, the USDA and our district Wellness Policy. Non-compliant foods may be sold from 1/2 hour after school through the end of the day. These standards carefully balance science-based nutrition guidelines with practical and flexible solutions to promote healthier eating on campus.
Kids often need snacks to help them get enough calories (ENERGY) throughout the day. Choosing healthy snacks that add nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, to their diets is essential. Smart snacking is a great way to meet daily nutrient requirements that may be missed at meal times.
Students in our district are offered healthier school meals with more fruits, vegetables and whole grains through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program. The Smart Snacks in School standards published by the USDA will build on those healthy advancements by ensuring that all other snack foods and beverages available for sale to students in school are tasty and nutritious.
Nutrition Standards for Foods
Any food sold in school must:
- Be a “whole grain-rich” grain product; or
- Have as the first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product or a protein food; or
- Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable; or
- Contain 10% of the Daily Value (DV) of one of the nutrients of public health concern in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or dietary fiber)
Foods must also meet several nutrient requirements:
Calorie limits
- Snack items - Elementary Schools: = 175 calories
- Snack items - Middle & High Schools: = 200 calories
- Entrée items: = 350 calories
Sodium limits
- Snack items: = 200 mg
- Entrée items: = 480 mg
Fat limits
- Total fat: = 35% of calories
- Saturated fat: = 10% of calories
- Trans fat: zero grams
Sugar limit = 35% of weight from total sugars in foods
Accompaniments
Accompaniments such as cream cheese, salad dressing and butter must be included in the nutrient profile as part of the food item sold. This helps control the amount of calories, fat, sugar and sodium added to foods.
Nutrient Standards for Beverages
All schools may sell:
- Plain water (with or without carbonation)
- Unflavored low fat milk
- Unflavored or flavored fat free milk and milk alternatives permitted by NSLP/SBP
- 100% fruit or vegetable juice, and 100% fruit or vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without carbonation) and no added sweeteners
Elementary schools may sell up to 8-ounce portions, while middle and high schools may sell up to 12-ounce portions of milk and juice. There is no portion size limit for plain water.
Beyond this, the standards allow additional “no calorie” and “lower calorie” beverage options for high school students.
- No more than 20-ounce portions of calorie-free, flavored water (with or without carbonation); and other flavored and/or carbonated beverages that are labeled to contain < 5 calories per 8 fluid ounces or = 10 calories per 20 fluid ounces.
- No more than 12-ounce portions of beverage with = 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces, or = 60 calories per 12 fluid ounces. Healthy Fundraisers
- Food items that meet nutrition standards are not limited
- The standards do not apply during non-school hours, on weekends and at off-campus fundraising events
- The standards provide a special exemption for infrequent fundraisers that do not meet the nutrition standards. Each State agency is responsible for establishing the number of exempt fundraisers that may be held in schools each year.
3 Step Flow Chart
School Site Tools and Reference Flow Chart with FAQ-(3 Easy Steps)
STEP 1-Question: Are you selling food items to students during the school day (midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the school day)? If No, nutrition standards do not apply. If Yes, nutritional standards will apply. Also, please be mindful of any food allergies students may have prior to giving any food outside of the Campus Catering Department. Homemade goods should not be provided, store bought individually wrapped items will be acceptable. Please select the reference tool guides below to view standards per grade level:
STEP 2-Question: Who may school sites purchase food from? Schools must purchase through a reputable vendor to ensure food safety. Store bought is highly encouraged to ensure the food items have an allergen list or ingredient label. Elementary school sites should not purchase peanut food items for students due to high allergy prevalence of peanuts.
STEP 3-Question: How can school site staff navigate through the complex nutrition standards? The calculators below will help. It is important to have the food item nutritional’s ready to view to transfer all required information to the appropriate calculator. After transferring all nutritional data into the applicable calculator below, the calculator will tell you if it's compliant or not. If compliant, you must print the applicable compliance notice from the Project Lean calculator below and file in a binder that is available upon request from Campus Catering or California Department of Education during an audit.
Elementary School – Student Organizations
Reference: California Code of Regulations Section 15500
Student organization is defined as a group of students that are not associated with the curricula or academics of the school or district.
Effective from midnight to one-half hour after the end of the official school day.
Student organization sales must comply with all food and beverage standards and all of the following:
Only one food or beverage item per sale.
-The food or beverage item must be pre-approved by the governing board of the school district.
-The sale must occur after the last lunch period has ended.
-The food or beverage item cannot be prepared on campus.
-Each school is allowed four sales per year.
The food or beverage item cannot be the same item sold in the food service program at that school during the same school day.
Middle/High Schools – Student Organizations
Reference: California Code of Regulations Section 15501
Student organization is defined as a group of students that are not associated with the curricula or academics of the school or district.
Effective from midnight to one-half hour after the end of the official school day.
Student organization sales must comply with all food and beverage standards and all of the following:
- Up to three categories of foods or beverages may be sold each day (e.g., chips, sandwiches, juices, etc.
Only one student organization is allowed to sell each day.
-Food(s) or beverage(s) cannot be prepared on campus.
-The food or beverage categories sold cannot be the same as the categories sold in the food service program at that school during the same school day.
-In addition to one student organization sale each day, any and all student organizations may sell on the same four designated days per year. School administration may set these dates.