Serving healthy snacks to children is important to providing good overall nutrition and supporting lifelong healthy eating habits.

Hadley Public Schools adopted a Wellness Policy in April 2006, which supports and promotes proper dietary habits contributing to students’ health status and academic performance.

The following are guidelines from the wellness policy.

Food Served in the Classroom

Food as Reward or Incentive

Rewards and incentives for academic performance should be given careful consideration as to the messages they send to students receiving them. If food is included in recognition of academic performance, it should be used in the general celebration of the achievement not as the reward (acceptable ex: pizza party for class finished with reading project). Non-food items are suggested as an alternative reward (i.e. stickers, merits, pencils, erasers, book gift certificates, other privileges).

Classroom Parties

Parents and staff are encouraged to provide party snacks that are consistent with the goals of this policy. Each party is encouraged to include *nutrient-dense food choices and beverages that are 100% fruit or vegetable juice, nonfat or low fat milk or water. The district will offer a list of healthy party food ideas to parents and teachers. A list of student food allergies must be made available to parents and teachers bringing food into the classroom so those foods will be excluded.

Snacks

Snacks served during the school day or after school programs will make a positive contribution to children’s diet with an emphasis on healthful food and beverage options. Snacks sent into class for group consumption should be in consideration of any food allergies in the classroom. Group snacks including *nutrient-dense choices are strongly encouraged. Beverages consisting of 100% fruit or vegetable juice, nonfat or low fat milk varieties, or water are also suggested. Snacks should be given with 1 hour or more allowance before or after the school meals are served.

Nutrient Dense Definition

* Nutrient dense foods have a significant amount (greater than 10%of RDA) of at least one of the following nutrients: vitamin C, vitamin A, iron or fiber. These foods include complex carbohydrates and/or lean protein sources that are low in total fat and saturated fat.

A reference guide is available at each school. In it you will find practical tips, ideas, and recipes for making healthy, appealing foods available to students. Nonfood rewards are also included. These suggestions have been gathered from school personnel, parents, and various media resources.

* A web-based resource for brand name prepackaged snack foods is available at www.johnstalkerinstitute.org/index.html. This comes from the John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition. The A list is a comprehensive list of prepackaged, convenient, healthy school snacks. Look in the left hand blue column for the A-List.

Alternative nonfood rewards for students

Elementary School Students

trips to treasure box filled with nonfood items
bank system (earn play money to be used for privileges)
make deliveries to the office
eat lunch with the teacher
help teach class
play a favorite game
sit by friends
school supplies
teacher reads a special book to class

Middle School Students

sit by friends
listen to music while working at desk
five minute chat break at the end of class
reduced homework or homework pass
extra credit
fun video/DVD
computer time
assemblies
field trips
eat lunch outside or have class outside

High School Students

extra credit
fun video or DVD
reduced homework
coupons to video stores, music stores, movies (donated)
a few minutes of free time at the end of class
free passes to school events and games

Healthy Party Snack and Dessert Ideas

100% fruit frozen bars (ie:Welchs or Edys)
Angel food cake with strawberries
Animal crackers
Ants on a log
Applesauce, fruit cups or canned fruit packed in juice
Bagels (serve with light cream cheese, peanut butter, apple butter, preserves)
Baked tortillas and salsa
Banana Bread
Breakfast Bars
Chex Mix (low fat) or mixed whole grain cereals w/raisins
Dried Fruit
Fig Cookies
Fruit Crisp
Fruit Kabobs
Fruit Leathers without added sugar
Fruit salad or sliced fruit
Graham crackers
Granola
Granola bars
Homemade fruit muffins
Hummus served with veggies or pretzels
String cheese (low fat)
Oatmeal raisin cookies
Peanut butter crackers (check for any students with nut allergies in classroom)
Pizza
Popcorn
Pretzels
Puddings (low fat)
Raw veggies with a low fat dip
Rice Cakes
Soy nuts
Squeezable yogurt tubes
Sunflower seeds
Tortilla roll ups
Trail mix
Whole wheat crackers with cheese

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