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507.9 APPENDIX D NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR ALL FOODS AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS

 

507.9 APPENDIX D NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR ALL FOODS AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS

School Meals

Meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will:

  • appealing and attractive to children;

  • be served in clean and pleasant settings;

  • meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state and federal law:

  • offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;

  • serve only low-fat (1%) and fat-free milk and nutritionally equivalent non-dairy alternatives (as defined by the USDA); and,

  • ensure that all of the served grains are whole grain, containing at least 51 percent

  • Free drinking water shall be made available to all students during all meal times.

  • All students enrolled in the district shall have access to the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program

 

Schools should:

  • engage students and parents, through taste-tests of new entrees and surveys, in selecting foods offered through the meal programs in order to identify new, healthful and appealing food choices; and

  • share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students.  (The information could be made available on menus, a web site, on cafeteria menu boards, placards or other point-of-purchase materials or upon request.

 

  • Should follow the final rule for nutrition standards set forth by the USDA, as seen below

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    Breakfast

    To ensure that all children have breakfast, either at home or at school, in order to meet their nutritional needs and enhance their ability to learn, schools will:

  • operate the breakfast program, to the extent possible;

  • arrange bus schedules and utilize methods to serve breakfasts that encourage participation, including serving breakfast in the classroom, “grab-and-go” breakfasts, second chance breakfast or breakfast during morning break or recess, to the extent possible;

  • notify parents and students of the availability of the School Breakfast Program, where available; and,

  • encourage parents to provide a healthy breakfast for their children through newsletter articles, take-home materials or other means.

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    Free and Reduced-Priced Meals

    The school district will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.  Toward this end, the school district may:

  • utilize electronic identification and payment systems;

  • Qualification for school meals will be sent to the student's home address not sent home with said students to help protect confidentiality ; and,

  • promote the availability of meals to all students.

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    Meal Times and Scheduling

    The school district:

  • will provide students with at least 10 minutes to eat after sitting down for breakfast and 20 minutes after sitting down for lunch;

  • should schedule meal periods at appropriate times, e.g., lunch should be scheduled between 10:45 a.m. and 1 p.m.; should not schedule tutoring, club or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities;

  • will schedule lunch periods to follow recess periods (in elementary schools);

  • will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks; and,

  • will have drinking water available

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    Qualification of Food Service Staff

    Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the meal programs.  As part of the school district’s responsibility to operate a food service program, the school district will:

  • provide continuing professional development for all nutrition professionals; and,

  • provide staff development programs that include appropriate certification and/or training programs for child nutrition directors, nutrition managers and cafeteria workers, according to their levels of responsibility.

  • All food service staff shall follow all professional guidelines set forth by the USDA Professional Standards Rule.

  • ·         For the safety and security of the food and facility, access to the food service operations are limited to child nutrition staff and authorized personnel.  

     

    Summer Meals

     

    Schools in which more than 50 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals will sponsor the Summer Food Service Program for at least six weeks between the last day of the academic school year and the first day of the following school year, and, preferably, throughout the entire summer vacation.

     

     

    Note:  The above goals are samples.  School districts can choose whatever goals they want based upon their individual school district needs assessments.  The law only requires one goal but the school district can choose as many as it sees appropriate for its school district and students.

     

    These sample goals are divided between those required by federal law, during the school day, and others.  Boards can determine to what extent it wants its goals to reach beyond the school day.

     

     

     

    Sharing of Foods

    The school district discourages students from sharing their foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some children’s diets.

     

    Foods Sold Outside the Meal (e.g. vending, a la carte, sales)

    All foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable meal program (including those sold through a la carte (snacks) lines, vending machines, student stores or fundraising activities) during the school day, or through programs for students after the school day, will meet nutrition standards as required by state or federal law. For current state guidelines, http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/allfoods

     

    Fundraising Activities

     

    To support children’s health and school nutrition-education efforts, school fundraising activities will not involve food or will use only foods that meet the above nutrition and portion size standards for foods and beverages sold individually.  The school district encourages fundraising activities that promote physical activity.  The school district will make available a list of ideas for acceptable fundraising activities.

     

    Snacks

     

    Snacks served during the school day or in after-school care or enrichment programs will make a positive contribution to children’s diets and health, with an emphasis on serving fruits and vegetables as the primary snacks and water as the primary beverage.  Schools will assess if and when to offer snacks based on timing of meals, children’s nutritional needs, children’s ages and other considerations.  The school district will disseminate a list of healthful snack items to teachers, after-school program personnel and parents. The district requires pre-packaged snacks for the safety of the students.

     

    If eligible, schools that provide snacks through after-school programs will pursue receiving reimbursements through the National School Lunch Program.

     

    Rewards

     

    The school district will discourage use foods or beverages, especially those that do not meet the nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually, as rewards for academic performance or good behavior, and will not withhold food or beverages (including food served through meals) as a punishment.

     

    Sack Lunches

    The District encourages healthy sack lunches brought from home. Pop will not be allowed as part of a sack lunch.

     

    Celebrations/Birthday Parties

     

    Schools should evaluate their celebrations practices that involve food during the school day.  The school district will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers. Parents of students in classroom where one more students have a severe food allergy will be notified and given a list of snack items to be considered. Birthday parties may be celebrated in the student's classroom. Parents will be required to provide pre-packaged items and envouraged to follow guidelines set by the district.

     

    School-Sponsored Events

     

    Foods and beverages offered or sold at school-sponsored events outside the school day will offer nutritional food options when possible.

     

    Food Safety

     

    All foods made available on campus adhere to food safety and security guidelines.

     

    ·         All foods made available on campus comply with the state and local food safety and sanitation regulations. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans and guidelines are implemented to prevent food illness in schools. http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/servingsafe_chapter6.pdf

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