Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 7 - Education K-12 › Part 3 - Board Policies › Chapter 17 - Child Nutrition › Rule 7-3-17.10 - Smart Snacks Standards for All Foods and Beverages Sold in Mississippi Schools

Current through June 25, 2024
The State Board of Education (SBE) shall adopt Smart Snacks
				  Standards for All Foods and Beverages Sold in Mississippi Schools. These
				  standards will ensure school district compliance of what products can be sold
				  and the time of day they can be sold on a school campus.
The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directed the USDA to
				  establish nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold to students in
				  schools during the school day. The Smart Snacks Standards ensures schools will
				  provide students healthier choices by offering more whole grain options,
				  fruits, vegetables, leaner protein and lower-fat dairy. Smart Snacks applies to
				  all foods and beverages sold to students through:
1. Vending machines
2. Student stores
3. Snack bars
4. Fundraisers
5. Culinary Education Program Sales
6. Any other sales
1. Time of Day for ALL Foods and Beverages
				Sold in Schools
The following regulations apply to all Mississippi school
				  campuses during the school day. The School day is defined as the hours between
				  12:00 a.m. the midnight before until 30 minutes after the end of the
				  instructional day. This policy does not apply to school-related events; such as
				  interscholastic sporting events, school plays, and band concerts; where parents
				  and other adults constitute a significant portion of the audience or are
				  selling beverages as boosters. In addition, no food items shall be sold on the
				  school campus for one (1) hour before the start of any meal services period
				  through the end of the meal service, including breakfast (if offered).
2. FOOD Regulations for
				Mississippi Schools:
All foods sold in schools must meet the following ingredients
				  and nutrient requirements:
1. Be a
				Whole Grain-Rich (WGR) product; or
2. Have as the first ingredient a fruit,
				vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food; or
3. Be a combination food that contains at
				least 1/4 cup of fruit and/or vegetable; or
4. Contain 10% of the Daily Value (DV) of one
				of the nutrients of public health concern in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
				Americans (calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or dietary fiber).
a. Calories Limits:
i. Snack/Side items: No more than 200
				calories
ii. Entrée items:
				No more than 350 calories
b. Sodium Limits:
i. Snack/Side items: No more than 230
				mg
ii. Entrée items: No more
				than 480 mg
c. Fat
				Limits:
i. Total fat: No more than 35% of
				calories
ii. Saturated fat: <
				10% of calories
iii. Trans fat:
				zero grams
d. Sugar
				Limits:
i. No more than 35% of weight from
				total sugars in foods (excludes sugars naturally occurring in fruits,
				vegetables, and dairy). For smoothies (made with low-fat yogurt or other
				low-fat dairy alternatives and/or fruit/juice), yogurt and pudding, no more
				than 5 grams total sugar (added and naturally occurring) per ounce.
e. Exemptions:
i. Dried/dehydrated fruits or vegetables with
				no added nutritive sweeteners; or
ii. Dried fruits with nutritive sweeteners
				for processing and/or palatability; or
iii. Products consisting of only exempt dried
				fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or
				fats.
f. Food
				Accompaniments
i. Accompaniments such as cream
				cheese, sugar, sweeteners, salad dressing, ketchup etc., must be included in
				the nutrient analysis as part of the food item sold.
ii. This helps control the amount of
				calories, fat, sugar and sodium added to foods.