Nutrition Policy 2023-2024 Nutrition Policy 2023-2024                SCHOOL NUTRITION POLICY

                                             2023-2024

The new Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards will help schools make a healthy choice and the easy choice by offering students more foods and beverages we should be encouraging – whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, leaner protein, lower-fat dairy – while limiting foods with too much sugar, fat, and salt.

Nutrition Standards for Foods

Any food consumed by students in school must be either a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, a protein food, a “whole-grain rich” grain product, or a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit or vegetable or contain 10% of the Daily Value (DV) of a nutrient cited as a public health concern in the 2012 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). (Calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or dietary fiber) .Additionally, foods sold must meet a range of nutrient requirements: Calorie limits include Snack items: ≤ 200 calories Entrée items: ≤ 350 calories. Sodium limits include Snack items: ≤ 200 mg per portion as packaged Entrée items: ≤ 480 mg per portion as packaged. Fat limits include Total fat: ≤35% of calories, Saturated fat: < 10% of calories. Tran’s fat: zero grams. Sugar limits include either: ≤35% of calories from total sugars in foods or ≤ 35% of weight from total sugars in foods.

Classroom Parties

Only two permitted classroom parties during the school year (December 20, 2023 and last day of the school May 31, 2024) during these two days nothing is allowed to be sold (fundraising) to the students. Parties are to be scheduled after their lunch period so that this celebration will not replace a nutritious lunch.

Birthdays Parties

Food otherwise restricted by the policy is permitted only in the last 30 minutes of Friday. (only cupcake or healthy treat will be allowed no juices, individual water bottles are suggested).Parents must notify the teacher and principal prior to the date. All times must be dropped off in the front office. This celebration is not permitted in the cafeteria area.

Outside Food

Raul Yzaguirre School for Success in no longer allowing homemade or home-bakes food items to be served to students at any school event.  All foods and snacks provided to students as a shared snack during school hours must be store-bought and display an ingredient label for food. The school may not provide food that does not meet the nutritional standards at any time anywhere on school premises. If parents bring their own child lunch, students may NOT SHARE this type of food with other students. This policy does not apply to field trips.

Competitive Food

Competitive Foods are foods sold during the school day that are not part of the reimbursable meal and must meet required nutrition standards. (The school day begins at midnight and ends 30 minutes after the official school day ends). No foods or beverages other than those provided through the school food service department may be made available to the students at any time. Food that meets Smart Snacks in the School product calculator specifications is allowed once approved by the principal and Child Nutrition Director. You can review the nutrition standards by visiting Squaremeals.org/Smart Snacks.

Fundraising Activities

The school policy allows six days per campus per school year (approved by the school principal, and incorporating them into their district wellness policy) to sell foods or beverages on campus that do not have to meet federal nutrition standards. The six approved days for fundraising activities are:  September 15, 2023, October 28, 2023, November 17, 2023, December 20, 2023, February 14, 2024, and April 5, 2024. The specificity dates are approved by the principals and written in the school nutrition policy.

All foods that meet the regulatory standards may be sold at fundraisers on the school campus during school hours. The standards would not apply to items sold during non-school hours (after 3:30 pm), weekends, or off-campus fundraising events. No exempt fundraiser foods or beverages may be sold in competition with school meals in the food service area (cafeteria) during the meal service (10:50 am to 1:00 pm).