Wellness Policy and Nutrition Guidelines K-8

• 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 Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, authorizes funding and sets policy for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) core child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program. Through this Act, the USDA is making the first major changes in school meals in 15 years to help ensure a healthier generation of children. These changes are intended to significantly benefit the long-term well-being and success of today’s students and, in turn, will support the district’s core educational mission. Highlights of the USDA Final Rule changes for the National School Lunch Program are as follows:

• 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.

No. If a family chooses to recognize their child’s birthday with their class, they may do so with a non-food item. Teachers and parents will be provided with non-food alternative birthday party suggestions for the classroom.

Yes. In order to ensure that it meets all current nutritional, meal benefit and confidentiality guidelines for the National School Lunch Program, the pizza must be provided by the district’s current food service provider.

Yes, as long as the items offered still follow the “Classroom Parties/Holiday Celebrations” section of the Wellness Policy, which states that such activities will also provide the following:

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

You can offer popsicles as the only item if 100% fruit juice popsicles are provided

No, food will not be used as a reward for classroom or school activities unless the reward is an activity that promotes a positive nutrition message (i.e. guest chef, field trip to a farm or farmers market, etc.).

Yes, but parents/caregivers will be encouraged to provide a healthy snack for snack time.

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 schools may sell up to 12-ounce portions of milk and juice. There is no portion size limit for plain water. No carbonated beverages unless exempted by USDA.

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

All food items sold as fundraisers on school property and available for sale and/or distribution for consumption during the period from the midnight before, to 30 minutes after the end of the official 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.

• 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

*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

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.

If the 504 addresses food consumption during the school day we are obligated to comply with the child’s 504.

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)

The Downingtown Area School District Wellness Policy, Nutrition Guidelines, and supplementary resources related to nutrition and physical activity will be available to school personnel and parents through the building principal and on the DASD website.