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Nutrition Education

Good Nutrition Leads to Great Academic Performance

Your body needs healthy fuel to perform, to grow and to ward off illness and disease.  Good nutrition has a positive and direct impact on your ability to do well in school. When your nutritional needs are met, you have the cognitive energy to learn and achieve. You will be better prepared to learn, more likely to attend school, and are more apt to take advantage of learning opportunities.
 

Nutrition Education

Nutrition Standards for Food

Any food sold in school 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 several 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 limits

    • ≤ 35% of weight from total sugars in foods
       

  • Accompaniments

    • Accompaniments such as cream cheese, salad dressing and butter must be included in the nutrient profile as part of the food item sold. This helps control the amount of calories, fat, sugar and sodium added to foods.

Nutrition Standards for Beverages

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 and high schools may sell up to 12-ounce portions of milk and juice. There is no portion size limit for plain water.

Beyond this, the standards allow additional “no calorie” and “lower calorie” beverage options for high school students:

  • No more than 20-ounce portions of calorie-free, flavored water (with or without carbonation); and other flavored and/or carbonated beverages that are labeled to contain < 5 calories per 8 fluid ounces or ≤ 10 calories per 20 fluid ounces.
  • No more than 12-ounce portions of beverage with ≤ 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces, or ≤ 60 calories per 12 fluid ounces. Healthy Fundraisers
  • Food items that meet nutrition standards are not limited
  • The standards do not apply during non-school hours, on weekends and at off-campus fundraising events
  • The standards provide a special exemption for infrequent fundraisers that do not meet the nutrition standards. Each State agency is responsible for establishing the number of exempt fundraisers that may be held in schools each year.

Nutrition Is For Everyone

Proper nutrition in the school age years can reinforce lifelong eating habits that contribute to a student's overall well being. This will help them to grow and learn to their fullest potential... and then go on to lead a long healthy life.

Nutrition for Students

Your body needs nutritious foods to grow and stay healthy, so make sure you take care of your body by eating the right food and getting plenty of exercise. Whether you are grabbing breakfast before school or choosing a snack after sports practice, now is time to start learning to make healthy choices. Your body and brain need healthy fuel to perform, to learn, to grow, and to ward off illness and disease. You will look better, feel better and do better in school and at play.

Develop the healthy eating habits today that will last a lifetime. Eat a balanced diet from each of the 5 food groups everyday... Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk and Meat & Beans... and go light on the junk!

Student Resources

Nutrition for Teachers

The Teachers section includes a collection of teaching tools that reinforce our district's Wellness Policy, incorporating nutrition lessons into classroom curriculum. Click the Teachers link to the left to find lessons, power points, links and other resources to complement Nutrition in the classroom.

Nutrition for Parents

We have put together some learning tools and resources to help you promote fitness and nutrition at home. We want to help you to encourage and reinforce lifelong nutrition and fitness practices that will support healthy lifestyles for you and your kids. Click the Nutrition at Home link to the left to learn more.