Smart Snacks & School Wellness

All foods sold to students during the school day (midnight the day of school until 30 minutes after the final bell rings) must meet Smart Snack guidelines. Smart Snacks includes fundraisers, vending machines, school stores and a la carte items sold in addition to the school meal.

USDA Smart Snacks in School

Montana-made Resources

• Smart Snacks in Montana Schools
• Smart Snacks in School Stores
• Smart Snacks in Montana Schools: Fundraisers
• High School Coffee Cart Guidelines
• Smart Snack Compliant Dessert Recipes

USDA Resources & Policy

• A Guide to Smart Snacks
• Final Rule: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the HHFKA of 2010
• Tools for Schools: Focusing on Smart Snacks 
• Best Practices for Healthy School Fundraisers

Alliance for a Healthier Generation Resources

• Smart Snacks Product Calculator - Use this tool to determine if a snack or beverage are Smart Snack compliant
• Alliance for Healthy Generation Smart Foods Planner

USDA's final rule regarding school wellness requires that local educational agencies (LEA) have a revised local school wellness policy in place by June 30, 2017. The school wellness policy should promote the health of the students and establishes a healthy school environment. This includes ensuring that foods sold to students during the school day meet the Smart Snacks in Schools standards.

USDA Local School Wellness Policy

Requirements

In Montana, a number of students are impacted by challenges such as homelessness, poverty, adverse childhood experiences (ACE's), as well as other challenges that can lead to stress, sometimes even toxic stress, resulting in food insecurities.  The ACE study did not look directly at food insecurity; however, since the study there have been several researchers that started looking at ACE's and food insecurities. What we know now is that there are correlations between people experiencing trauma and establishing food insecurities.  

• The Relationship Between Childhood Adversity and Food Insecurity
• Traumatic Event Exposure Associated with Increased Food Insecurity and Eating Disorder Pathology

What we also know is that we have the ability to help a person heal from food insecurities by implementing a trauma-informed lens in our schools and cafeterias. Here are some resources that we hope you find of value:

• Healing from Food Insecurity: Beyond the Stash
• How Mealtimes Can Set the Stage for Better Learning, Behavior and Health in Children: Handouts for Schools