Tools for Schools: Focusing on Smart Snacks

Starting in School Year 2014-15, all foods sold at school during the school day are required to meet nutrition standards. The Smart Snacks in School regulation applies to foods sold a la carte, in the school store, vending machines, and any other venues where food is sold to students.

A number of tools and resources are available to help schools identify food items that meet Smart Snacks criteria. See the resources below for information about the Smart Snacks requirement, helpful tools, and ways to encourage children to make healthier snack choices that give them the nutrition they need to grow and learn.

Resource Materials

• A Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools
• Fundraisers and Smart Snacks: Foods Not Intended for Consumption at School
• Nutrition Voyage: The Quest to Be Our Best - Backpack Full of Snacks
• Smart Snacks Calculator (Alliance for a Healthier Generation)
• Smart Snacks in School - Fundraisers

Policy Guidance

• Final Rule: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the HHFKA of 2010
• Interim Final Rule: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools as Required by the HHFKA of 2010
• Questions and Answers Related to the "Smart Snacks" Interim Final Rule (SP 23-2014, v3)
• Proposed Rule: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools as Required by the HHFKA of 2010
• Infographic
• Flexibility for Entrees
• Beverage Options
• Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School Summary Chart
• Grain Entrees Related to Smart Snacks in Schools Standards
• Smart Snacks Nutrition Standards and Exempt Fundraisers
• Smart Snacks Nutrition Standards and Culinary Education Programs
• Smart Snacks Standards for Exempt Foods when Paired Together 

Smart Snacks History

• Competitive Foods and Beverages in U.S. Schools: A State Policy Analysis (HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Controlling Junk Food and the Bottom Line: Case Studies of Schools Successfully Implementing Strong Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods and Beverages (HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)