Healthy Classroom Celebrations:

Classrooms have many celebrations throughout the year from birthday celebrations to holiday parties. With these celebrations, often comes unhealthy food, which can contribute to unhealthy eating patterns. Check out this infographic, Food at School Parties, to better understand the impact of what one year of food at school parties can have on a child. However, with the help from teachers, parents, and school staff the focus can be shifted from unhealthy food to healthy fun. Check out this flier for ideas on healthy school celebrations .

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.