FAQ

The local Wellness Policy requirement is established by Section 204 of the Public Law 108- 265, the Child Nutrition and WIC reauthorization Act of 2004. The law requires each Local Education Agency (LEA) participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program to develop a local wellness policy that promotes the health of students and addresses the problem of childhood obesity.
The Wellness Policy must include measurable goals in the following areas:

• Goals for nutrition education
• Goals for physical activity
• Goals for other-school based activities designed to promote student wellness
• Nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available on school campuses during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity
• The goals set forth in the policy will establish regulations for a la carte foods, fundraisers, vending machines, classroom parties, and food used as rewards
• A plan for monitoring progress
   

*** The DASD Wellness Policy Nutrition Guidelines address competitive food and beverages available to students during the school day, which is defined by USDA as the period from the midnight before, to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day.

• Lunches offered to students must still have 5 components: Grain, Meat/Meat Alternate, Fruit, Vegetable and Fluid Milk.
• Students MUST now select at least 1 fruit OR vegetable serving
• There will be weekly minimum servings for fruits and vegetable, separately (Formerly fruits and vegetables were put together for required serving size.).
• Vegetable selection requirements and portions sizes are increasing and there is a requirement for vegetable subgroups such as dark green, red/orange, legumes, and starchy.
• All of the grains served must be whole grain. There are weekly and daily minimum limits by grade segments on portion size of grains.
• There are weekly and daily minimum limits by grade segments on portion size of Meat/Meat Alternate.
• All plain milk must be fat-free or 1% and flavored milk must be fat-free.
• Saturated fat is limited to less than 10% of total calories, with no Trans fats permitted.
• Minimum and maximum calorie limits by grade segments have been set.
• Sodium limits by grade segment.

Classroom parties will provide the following:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Water, 100% fruit juice or milk

In addition, Food Service Departments will offer party lists/menus that include food and beverage choices that:

• Are moderate in sodium content
• Provide minimal to no trans fatty acids (trans fats)
• Provide items that contain > 2 grams of fiber/serving 

Individual item snacks and drinks which are suggested for classroom parties include:

These items may be purchased from the school district food service provider OR purchase comparable items from an outside food vendor.

• Sun Chips, Garden Salsa – .875 oz.
• Pepperidge Farm WG Goldfish – .75 oz.
• Nabisco Teddy Bear Graham Minis – 1 oz.
• Rold Gold Pretzels – .7 oz.
• Kellogg’s WG Rice Krispie Treats – 1.41 oz.
• Quaker Snack Kids Mix – .875 oz.
• Land O Lakes String Cheese, Light Low Moisture, Part skim – 1 oz.
• Water – 8 oz.
• 100% Apple Juice – 4 oz.
• Milk, Fat Free or 1% Low Fat White – 8 oz.
• Oven Bakes Scoops - .875 oz.
• Salsa Thick and Chunky
• Fruit Snacks
• Fruit Roll Ups
• Raisins (small box)
• Chex cinnamon cereal bowl
• Rice Krispie cereal bowl

In addition, the following items are ALLERGY FRIENDLY and suggested for classroom parties. Always check the food labels. Labels and ingredients do change. These items may be purchased from an outside food vendor:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Skinny Pop Popcorn (snack size)
• Raisins (original only) (individual snack size packages)
• Applesauce (individual serving) – suggestions: Gogo Squeeze, Motts Natural and Musselman’s Natural)
• Fruit Snacks ( Welch’s original)
• Wegman’s Organic Fruit Twists
• Bare Fruit Crisps (Available at most grocery stores)
• Brother’s All Natural Fruit Crisps
• Chex cereals – Cinnamon, Corn, Rice, Vanilla (individual servings)

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Water, 100% fruit juice, or milk

• 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.

Vending will not be available for elementary students. In Grades 6-8, the following standards apply to all foods offered for the period from the midnight before, to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day through vending machines:

• Foods 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 all of the following nutrient requirements:
  • Calorie limits:
    • Snack items: ≤ 200 calories
    • Entrée items: ≤ 350 calories
  • Sodium limits
    • Snack items: ≤ 230 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

*On July 1, 2016, foods may not qualify using the 10% DV criteria. **On July 1, 2016, snack items must contain ≤ 200 mg sodium per item

• Foods 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 all of the following nutrient requirements:
  • Calorie limits:
    • Snack items: ≤ 200 calories
    • Entrée items: ≤ 350 calories
  • Sodium limits:
    • Snack items: ≤ 230 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

• Foods 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 all of the following nutrient requirements:
  • Calorie limits:
    • Snack items: ≤ 200 calories
    • Entrée items: ≤ 350 calories
  • Sodium limits:
    • Snack items: ≤ 230 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

• Water, 100% fruit juice or milk
• Are moderate in sodium content
• Provide minimal to no trans fatty acids
• Provide items that contain > 2 grams of fiber/serving

The local Wellness Policy requirement is established by Section 204 of the Public Law 108-265, the Child Nutrition and WIC reauthorization Act of 2004. The law requires each Local Education Agency (LEA) participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program to develop a local wellness policy that promotes the health of students and addresses the problem of childhood obesity. The Wellness Policy must include measurable goals in the following areas:

• Goals for nutrition education
• Goals for physical activity
• Goals for other-school based activities designed to promote student wellness
• Nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available on school campuses during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity
• The goals set forth in the policy will establish regulations for a la carte foods, fundraisers, vending machines, classroom parties, and food used as rewards
• A plan for monitoring progress
   

*** The DASD Wellness Policy Nutrition Guidelines address competitive food and beverages available to students during the school day, which is defined by USDA as the period from the midnight before, to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day.

• Plain water (any size, with or without carbonation)
• Flavored water (any size)
• 100% fruit and/or vegetable juice (12 oz or less size)
• Carbonated beverages with 70 -100% pure juice with no added ingredients except water (Must be exempted by USDA)
• Milk (flavored or unflavored). At least 50% of milk offered must be: 
  • 1% fat or less

• Carbonated soda products
• Beverages in excess of 20 0z.

In high schools, the following standards apply to all foods offered through vending machines during the school day:

• Items will provide < 250 calories per serving
• Packages will be in single serving sizes
• Total fat will be <35% of the total calories (excluding nuts, seeds, nut butters and reduced fat cheeses)
• Saturated fat will be < 10% of the total calories (excluding reduced fat cheeses)
• Sugar content will be < 35% by weight (excluding naturally occurring sugars and low fat yogurts) and added sugar will not be listed as the first ingredient
• Items will contain minimal to no trans-fat
•  At least 50% of the grains offered will be whole grain
• Not be fried

All food items sold as fundraisers on school property and available for sale during the school day must meet the guidelines below and will be reviewed by the principal of the school. The school food service director shall assist the principal in determining the suitability of fundraising items in accordance with the guidelines.

• Items will provide < 250 calories per serving
• Packages will be in single serving sizes
• Total fat will be <35% of the total calories (excluding nuts, seeds, nut butters and reduced fat cheeses)
• Saturated fat will be < 10% of the total calories
• Sugar content will be < 35% by weight (excluding naturally occurring sugars and low fat yogurts) and added sugar will not be listed as the first ingredient
• Items will contain minimal to no trans-fat

The following standards apply to all foods sold in school stores.

• Packages will be in single serving sizes
• Items will provide < 250 calories per serving
• At least 50% of grains offered will be whole grains
• Contain < 35% of calories from total fat (excluding nuts, seeds, nut butters, and reduced fat cheeses)
• Contain <10% of calories from saturated fat (excluding reduced fat cheeses)
• Contain <35% sugar by weight (excluding naturally occurring sugars and low fat yogurts)
• Not contain sugar as the first ingredient  Provide minimal to no trans-fat
• Not be fried School stores will not sell food until 30 minutes after the last meal period of the day.

Yes, food used as part of the curriculum is not prohibited. However, curriculum-based food activities must follow the following nutrition guidelines:

• Water, 100% fruit juice or milk
• Are moderate in sodium content
• Provide minimal to no trans fatty acids
• Provide items that contain > 2 grams of fiber/serving

In addition, Food Service Department will offer party lists/menus that include food and beverage choices for curricular learning experiences.