With the school year now in full swing, the District Wellness Council would like to remind the Shoreline Schools community about our policies about food rewards and classroom parties. 

We have a great resource called the Nutrition and Wellness Resource Library, which contains:

• non-food classroom party ideas
• alternatives to food rewards
• wellness policy FAQs

Classroom and school parties may involve healthy foods if they meet at least one of the criteria below:

• Be a “whole grain-rich” grain product. To determine this, the first ingredient on the nutrition label must list a whole grain (examples: whole corn, whole wheat, whole grain brown rice, whole grain rolled oats). If water is the first ingredient and the whole grain is the second, this will meet the definition of a whole grain. If baking from scratch without a nutrition label, at least half of the grains used in preparation must be whole grain.
• Have as a first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food
• Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable

Those who organize classroom parties must be aware of and responsive to food sensitivities and dietary restrictions among the students in the classroom.

Ideas for healthy drinks and snacks:

• Popcorn
• Fruit/Veggies (fresh, canned, dried)
• Hummus and whole grain crackers
• Fruit and yogurt parfaits
• String cheese
• Beef jerky
• Plain water (carbonated or noncarbonated)
• Plain low-fat milk (white/unflavored)
• Fat-free milk (plain, chocolate, other flavor)
• Non-dairy milk (soy, rice, etc.)
• 100% fruit/vegetable juice with no added sweeteners

Why do we restrict the type of food that’s offered in Shoreline schools? 
Giving unhealthy food or sweets as a reward to students or during celebrations can contribute to poor health, encourage overconsumption of unhealthy foods, and increase preference for sweets. Due to these drawbacks, coupled with the prevalence of obesity in children and rising childhood rates of diabetes, the practice of providing unhealthy food or sweets in any of our buildings or classrooms is not allowed.