Food and Snacks in School
Many years ago, USDA had a “Time and Place” rule that food of minimum nutritional value (sometimes called junk food), could not be sold during mealtimes. That rule was replaced in 2014 with the Smart Snacks Rule. Now snacks deemed “Smart” can be sold all day. Non-smart snacks cannot be sold at all before or during the school day and until 30 minutes after school is out. The rules only apply to snacks sold to students. There are different rules for the Afterschool Snack Program. There are no rules about food brought from home or what can be in the teachers’ lounge.
The complete Smart Snack Rule and information is attached in the image to the right or available HERE for download.
|
It’s almost like we try to confuse you! There are several USDA programs referred to as “snacks:”
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), is an extra snack meant to introduce students to different fruits and vegetables in smaller servings than you would serve at mealtimes. It is not the Afterschool Snack Program.
Schools may apply for a grant to offer a FRESH fruit or vegetable snack during the school day. The snack cannot be served at breakfast, lunch or afterschool snack; these programs are funded through separate reimbursement. You cannot offer only fruit, you must offer a vegetable on some of the days. Schools on the FFVP will have FFVP claims in ND Foods to claim reimbursement every month.
The Afterschool Snack Program (ASP), is served afterschool. You must serve 2 components like grain and fruit or milk and cereal (grain). There is no requirement to serve milk at the afterschool snack. The fruit/vegetable component must be ¾ cup, which is more than what is required at breakfast and lunch. Schools on the ASP will have an SNP claim with snack boxes to fill out in ND Foods each month to claim reimbursement. This SY 21-22, all ASP snacks are reimbursed as free at $1.
Department of Defense (DoD)Fresh. Some people add words like DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to it. This causes confusion with the FFVP, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. DoD Fresh is a program where you designate some of your USDA food (commodity) dollars to DoD to be used on fresh produce. DoD Fresh can be used for breakfast, lunch, and afterschool snacks. The current vendor is US Foods. The produce is delivered separately from other food and it is free because you used your USDA food value to order it. We give you actual money for the FFVP. So, use DoD Fresh for meals and FFVP a non-mealtime snack during the school day.
Smart Snacks (SS) are allowable snacks SOLD during the school day (before school through 1/2 hour after the school day ends). There is a 2-page fact sheet on what an allowable snack is, included HERE.
Snacks: anything else served free, like classroom parties, what students bring for themselves or for classroom treats. There is no reimbursement, so there are no 'set' rules on what can be served. However, the school needs to establish its own rules for these situations in their Local Wellness Policy.
If you still have questions please write to cnfd@nd.gov
While Out on Review...
Child Nutrition Staff in our office have been getting back out to schools for In-Person Reviews. We love being able to visit with you and see your foodservice operation, along with all the care you put into nourishing the students.
Here are a few reminders of frequently seen items that we often assist schools with:
- Check and record the temperatures in coolers, freezers, and dry storage rooms daily.
- The latest health inspection report must be posted publicly.
- Civil rights in school foodservice has to do with feeding kids, not bullying or employee harassment. Provide meals to students no matter age, color, sex, etc; with a smile.
- Civil rights training must be done every year by everyone working in every school meal program.
- If you hire someone new in the middle of the year, use your lunch production record book for the civil rights training and other information they should know about the program (there are LOTS of resources in the front pages of the book!)
- The easiest way to inform the public about the School District’s Local Wellness Policy and latest assessment is to post them on the School District’s website.
- If you are having difficulties obtaining certain food products without finding a replacement, reach out to our office to request a waiver.
We will not host a KCC Meeting in December – so please join us in January. Same time, Same Channel.
Tuesday, January 18th, at 2 PM CST
Topic: Non-Program Foods
We will explore and discuss those foods offered in your program that are not a part of your traditional “Reimbursable Meal.”
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Join with a video conferencing device
teams@join.nd.gov
Video Conference ID: 115 372 266 8
Alternate VTC dialing instructions
Or call in (audio only)
+1 701-328-0950,,282939126# United States, Fargo
Phone Conference ID: 282 939 126#
Find a local number | Reset PIN
Enjoy your meeting
Learn More | Help | Meeting options
|
