Snack and Celebration Guidelines Boston Harbor Elementary

Snacks

As many of you have heard, the Olympia School District has adopted new nutrition standards that affect what type of snacks our children can be served at school. Snack time is an important part of the day, especially for Kindergarteners and First Graders. It can be the perfect opportunity to educate children about making healthy food choices, manners and social skills. Of course, since snacks are coming to the classrooms from home, we need your help, as parents, to assist your child in making appropriate choices when it’s their turn to bring snacks. We appreciate the support parents have shown this year. Remember, we will have a small space available in the kitchen cooler, if needed, for fruits and vegetables.

Birthdays

Birthday celebration snacks also fall under the new nutrition policy. School birthday celebrations have traditionally included cupcakes, cookies, or other sugary type foods and drinks. Since district policy does not allow this type of treat you will need to consider a nutritious food or a non-food item to pass out to classmates if you choose to send something to celebrate your child’s special day. Some suggestions may include pencils, erasers, stickers, or party favors. Perhaps your child could present a book to the classroom or school. The class would be “treated” to a special reading of the new book. You may have other ideas to share with your child’s teacher. We can learn to embrace new “traditions.” The new nutrition policy states we cannot serve non-nutritious snacks.

The Site Council, in partnership with Boston Harbor teachers, would like to provide parents with information that may make choosing a snack a little bit easier. The District has provided us with the new nutrition policy, which we have summarized below. We have also scoured the shelves at Costco to find acceptable snacks, as many of us shop there when we need to purchase enough for an entire classroom. These suggestions are just those available at Costco. Many more choices are available at other grocery stores. Just be sure to check the labels. Let us know if you discover new ideas that comply with the nutrition policy. Please feel free to call Terri Byers, or put a note in the PTA Treasurer’s mailbox in the office if you have any questions, comments or great snack ideas you would like to share!

Olympia School District Nutrition Policy

Requirements:

• Under 200 calories per serving
• Less than 2 grams total saturated and trans fats per serving
• Dairy products made with 2% or lower fat milk
• No foods of minimal nutritional value (e.g. popsicles, chewing gum, candy)
  

Recommendations:

• Less than 1/3 of the weight from sugar (compare grams of sugar with grams of weight listed under serving size)
• 100% or mostly whole grain (about 2 grams fiber in per serving)
  

Snack Recommendations

Fruits and Vegetables

Highly recommended!! Room in the school refrigerator will be reserved to help keep food fresh until snack time. Sugar restrictions do not apply to unsweetened fruits.

Fresh fruits of all kinds with no added sweeteners.

Sprinkle with a little orange or lemon juice to keep from browning. The canning section of the grocery store also sells Vitamin C-based products [Sure-Jell Ever Fresh] that can be sprinkled on fruit to keep it from browning).

• Costco sells pre-packaged organic apple slices
• Raw vegetables of all kinds served with a light dip if you like.
  
• Dried fruits with no added sugar
• Kirkland Mixed Dried Fruit
• Sun Maid Raisins
• Sun Maid Fruit Variety in individual serving boxes
• Stretch Island Fruit Leather
• Unsweetened applesauce

Grain Foods

Choose whole grains, low sugar (less than 1/3 total weight), low fat (less than 2 grams saturated and trans fats combined), and high fiber (at least 2 grams per serving).

• Stacy’s Pita Chips
• Stacy’s Soy Crisps
• Smart Pop popcorn
• Frosted Mini Wheats
• Quaker Oatmeal Squares
• Whole grain rolls, pita, breadsticks

Protein and Dairy Foods –

Dairy products from 2% or lower fat milk; cheeses less than 6 grams of fat per serving. Choose yogurt with as little added sugar as possible.

• Frigo string cheese
• Yoplait Gogurt
• Dannon Frusion yogurt smoothie
• Nuts (peanuts, cashews or dry roasted almonds) certain classes have nut allergies (or other food restrictions) – check with teacher!
• Seeds (sunflower or pumpkin)
• Small pieces of beef or turkey jerky