USDA Healthy Snack Guidelines
“Smart Snacks” Quick Look Synopsis
Required by Federal Law 111-296
The intent of the Law, as required by Congress, is to help students perform better academically, provide healthy food and beverage choices throughout the entire school campus to send a consistent message, and to reduce childhood obesity
This provision does not affect non-food fundraisers at all (see accompanying attachment, Smart Snacks Synopsis of the Nutrition Standards for Foods and Beverages in Schools) - non-food fundraisers may be sold at anytime, anywhere.
This provision does not affect fundraisers held outside the school day, off campus at anytime, and does not apply to adults, administrators, teachers or parents.
This provision does not affect foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards: All foods and beverages that meet the prescribed nutrition standards may be sold or exchanged (ticket, token, etc.) at anytime, anywhere on campus.
The State Board of Education is charged with the responsibility of setting a limited number of food and/or beverage fundraisers that do not meet the healthy standards (forthcoming).
The total number of exempted fundraisers cannot interfere with the intent of the law, which is to provide healthy food choices during the school day, again, so they do not to compete with the child’s appetite or lunch money. No exempted fundraiser may operate 30 minutes prior to and until 30 minutes after meal service is complete anywhere on the school campus.
July 7, 2014
NOTE: This was copied from a memo that we received from the State Department.
*The USDA Lunch Guidelines are linked with the monthly school menus. This link list the items that must be included in the weekly lunch menu.