Overview

Does your school participate in the National School Breakfast or School Lunch Program? If so, all foods and beverages sold at school during the school day are required to meet nutrition standards, including those sold outside of school meals. Starting in 2014-2015, schools were required to ensure that foods and beverages sold a la carte, in the school store, vending machines, in-school fundraisers, and any other venues where food is sold to children met “Smart Snacks Standards.” Is your school smart snack savvy? Read on to find out!

Take Action

At School

Try one or more of these actions to help your school be smart snack savvy:

• Become familiar with the Smart Snacks Standards and their nutritional requirements.
• Complete an inventory of foods and beverages sold on the school campus, even fundraisers, during the school day to determine what your school sells to children.
• Eliminate foods and beverages that do not meet Smart Snacks Standards. Use this calculator to determine if products meet these standards.
• Consider adding additional options that meet Smart Snacks Standards, particularly if you have to eliminate existing options. Survey teachers and students to learn about the kinds of healthy snacks they would like to see sold at school.
• Negotiate with fundraising, snack and vending companies to increase the number and variety of food and beverage choices available that meet Smart Snacks Standards.
• Educate school staff and students about healthy choices through posters, school news articles and the school announcements.
• Host a taste test to sample new snack options, or options that children purchase less frequently.

At Home

• Meet the smart snacks standards at home! Use these guideline to ensure a nutritiously healthy home.
• Implement smart snacks standards when grocery shopping. 
• Teach children how to read label and categorize foods that meet the smart snack standards
• Create a matching game with foods that meet the smart snack standards for students to learn healthy eating options 
• Sample a variety of foods that meet the smart snacks standards to get an understanding of what children like 
• Get creative… create your own smart snacks from scratch. 
• Create signs to post around the house