According to the Nutritional Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools, the BEST foods and beverages to offer during classroom parties and celebrations are the following:

• Water
• 100% fruit juice
• Milk (1% or skim)
• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Other foods that contain moderate amounts of sodium, minimal to no trans fatty acids, and >2 g fiber per serving

The standards also recommend that no more than 2 to 3 party foods contain added sugar as the first ingredient, and Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value (FMNV)* should not be offered.

Some examples of "other foods" that meet the guidelines above are the following:

• Several types of whole grain cereals, eaten as finger food or with milk: Kashi Heart to Heart, General Mills Cheerios, General Mills Multi-Grain Cheerios, Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran, Quaker Essentials Oatmeal Squares, Nature’s Promise Healthy Mix
• Whole grain crackers such as Ry Krisp, Ryvita, Finn Crisp, Whole wheat matzos, Nabisco Triscuit Reduced-Fat
• Some types of whole grain pretzels, such as Snyder’s of Hanover Multi Grain Sticks, Herr's Whole Grain Pretzel Sticks
• Soft corn tortillas and some brands of whole wheat tortillas
• Low-fat or fat-free yogurt, plain or flavored with no sugar added
• Dried fruit, fruit canned in unsweetened juice, frozen unsweetened fruit
• Some types of microwave popcorn: Smart Balance Low Sodium Low Fat and Jolly Time Healthy Pop 94% Fat Free
• Dry roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• 100% fruit juice popsicles

Some examples of fairly nutritious, but higher sugar foods that contain little or no saturated fat or Trans fat and low-to-moderate amount of sodium are listed below. Offer these less often:

• Flavored 1% or skim milk; flavored, calcium-fortified low-fat soy milk
• Flavored low-fat or fat-free yogurt
• Low fat or fat-free pudding
• Low-fat or fat-free frozen yogurt, low-fat or fat-free ice cream
• Fig newtons
• Low-fat graham crackers, plain and cinnamon animal crackers
• Low-fat granola and cereal bars
• Fat-free fudgesicles

Note: Name brands listed above do not represent endorsement by Lancaster General.

*FMNV means a) in the case of artificially sweetened foods, a food which provides less than 5% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for each of 8 specified nutrients per serving; b) in the case of all other foods, a food which provides less than 5% of the RDI for each of 8 specified nutrients per 100 calories and per serving. The 8 nutrients are protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, calcium, and iron.

References and Resources:
Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Food and Nutrition, Nutritional Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools, www.pde.state.pa.us/food_nutrition/site/ (Accessed 2/06) Food labels, 2/06.
Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and U.S. Department of Education. FNS-374, Making it Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories. Alexandria, VA, January 2005. www.fns.usda.gov/tn
Center for Science in the Public Interest, Healthy Snacks for Children, www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/snacks_summary.pdf (Accessed 2/06),
Healthy School Snacks, www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/healthy_school_snacks.pdf
(Accessed 2/06) and Ghoulishly Great Ideas for Halloween Parties & Trick-or-Treating www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/halloween.pdf (Accessed 2/06)
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For FDA Food labeling information, go to http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/label.html (Accessed 2/06)
20 MRSA Section 6602(5)