Nutrition Policy
The Newark Public School, recognizes that child and adolescent obesity has reached epidemic levels in the United States and that poor diet combined with the lack of physical activity negatively impacts on students’ health, and their ability and motivation to learn.
The Newark Public Schools is committed to:
- Providing students with healthy and nutritious foods.
- Encouraging the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat milk and whole grains.
- Encouraging students to select and consume all components of the school meal.
- Supporting healthy eating through nutrition education.
- Providing students with the opportunity to engage in daily physical activity.
- Students shall have adequate time to eat, relax and socialize at least 10 minutes after sitting down for breakfast and 20 minutes after sitting down for lunch.
Adequate time shall be allowed for student meal service and consumption. Schools shall provide a pleasant dining environment. The District recommends that physical education or recess be scheduled before lunch whenever possible.
This school district’s curriculum shall incorporate nutrition education and physical activity consistent with the New Jersey Department of Education Core Curriculum Standards.
The Newark Public Schools is committed to promoting the Nutrition Policy with all food service personnel, teachers, nurses, coaches and other school administrative staff so they have the skills they need to implement this policy among students, parents, teachers and community at large.
All reimbursable meals shall meet Federal Nutrient Standards as required by the United States Department of Agriculture, Child Nutrition Program regulations. All items served as part of the After School Snack Program shall meet the standards as outlined within this policy.
The following items may not be served, sold or given out as free promotion anywhere on school property at anytime before the end of the school day:
- Foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) as defined by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations;
- All foods and beverage items listing sugar, in any form, as the first ingredient; and
- All forms of candy.
Schools shall reduce the purchase of any products containing trans fats. (Federal labeling of trans fats on all food products is required by January 1, 2006).
All snack and beverage items sold or served anywhere on school property during the school day, including items sold in a la carte lines, vending machines, snack bars, school stores and fundraisers or served in the reimbursable After School Snack Program, shall meet the following standards:
- Based on manufacturers nutritional data or nutrient facts labels:
- No more than eight grams of total fat per serving, with the exception of nuts and seeds.
- No more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.
- All beverages shall not exceed 12 ounces, with the following exceptions:
- Water
- Milk containing 1% percent or less fat.
- Whole milk shall not exceed eight ounces.
In Elementary Schools:
- 100 % of all beverages offered shall be milk, water or 100% fruit or vegetable juices.
In Middle and High Schools:
- At least 60% of all beverages offered, other than milk and water, shall be 100% fruit or vegetable juice.
- No more than 40% of all ice cream/frozen desserts shall be allowed to exceed the above standards for sugar, fat and saturated fat.
Nutrition Policy Exemptions
Food and beverages served during special school celebrations or during curriculum related activities shall be exempt from this policy, with the exception of foods of minimal nutritional value as defined by USDA regulations.
This policy does not apply to: medically authorized special needs diets pursuant to 7CFR Part 210; school nurses using FMNVs during the course of providing health care to individual students; or special needs students whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP) indicates their use for behavior modification.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a “school day” defined?
The school day is defined as beginning with the start of the first breakfast period until the end of the last instruction period of the day (last bell). School activities, athletic functions, etc., that occur after the normal school day are not covered by this policy. If a school operates the federally-funded After School Snack Program, the policy will be in effect until this concludes for the day.
Which school-level policy should K-12 schools follow?
K-12 schools may follow the policy requirements designated for middle school and junior high schools.
Does this policy prohibit school teachers from using competitive foods as an instructional tool in the classroom?
School teachers may use food for instructional purposes as long as the food items are not considered FMNVs or candy.
Do these nutrition standards apply to fundraising?
For middle school and high school campuses, the nutrition standards will apply to food fundraising during the school day. No food fundraising will be allowed on an elementary school campus during the school day.
Food of Minimal Nutritional Value
Soda Water
Includes any carbonated beverage, including those with added nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and protein.
Water Ices
Includes any frozen, sweetened water such as popsicles and other “.....sicles” and flavored ice with the exception of products that contain fruit or fruit juices.
Chewing Gum
Includes any flavored products made from natural or synthetic gums and other ingredients that form an insoluble mass for chewing.
Certain Candies
Includes any processed foods made predominantly from sweeteners or artificial sweeteners, including hard candy, jellies and gums, marshmallow candies, fondant, licorice, spun candy and candy-coated popcorn.
Glossary
Candy
“Candy” is defined as any food item, that is served in its finished form, contains by weight, 40 percent or more sugar (in crystal-line form or in solution as syrup, both monosaccharide and disaccharides) and/or other sweetening agents, or any food prod-ucts commonly referred to as “candy”.
Competitive Foods
“Competitive foods” meals all food and beverage items, other than the reim-bursable meal, sold, served, or given away during the school day.
Meal
“Meal” means a reimbursable school breakfast, school lunch and/or after school snack.
Sugar
“Sugar” means any class of water-soluble crystalline carbohydrates having a sweet taste. Sugar also comes in syrup form. Other words for sugar include, but are not limited to, fructose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, glucose, galactose, honey dextrin, malt, molasses, maple syrup and corn syrup.
What is FMNV? (Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value)
Foods of minimal nutritional value as defined by USDA are: soda water, water ices, chewing gum, hard candy, jellies, gums, marshmallow candies, fondant, licorice, spun candy and candy coated popcorn. These foods are virtually “empty calorie” foods and would not meet any standards in the policy.