Foods Table | ||||
Nutrient | Allowable a la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items | Exemptions | ||
General Standards for Competitive Food | To be allowable, a competitive food item must meet all of the competitive food nutrient standards AND: 1. Be a grain product that contains 50% or more whole grains by weight or have whole grain as the first ingredient*; OR 2. Have as the first ingredient* one of the non-grain main food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy, or protein foods (meat, beans, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, etc.); OR 3. Be a combination food that contains at least 1/4 cup fruit and/or vegetable; OR 4. Only through July 1, 2016, the food may qualify by containing 10% of the Daily Value (DV) of a nutrient of public health concern (i.e., calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or dietary fiber). * If water is the first ingredient, the second ingredient must be one of the items in 1, 2, or 3 above. | Any entree item offered as part of the lunch program or the breakfast program is exempt from all competitive food standards if it is sold as a competitive food on the day of service or the day after service. Fresh fruits and vegetables with no added ingredients except water are exempt from all nutrient standards. Canned and frozen fruits with no added ingredients except water or that are packed in 100% juice, extra light syrup, or light syrup are exempt from all nutrient standards. Canned vegetables with no added ingredients except water or that contain a small amount of sugar for processing purposes to maintain the quality and structure of the vegetable are exempt from all nutrient standards. | ||
Calories | Snack items and side dishes sold a la carte: <=200 calories per item as served, including any added accompaniments | |||
Entree items sold a la carte: <350 calories per item as served, including any added accompaniments | Entree items served are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal. | |||
Sodium | Snack items and side dishes sold a la carte: <=230 mg sodium per item as served Effective July 1, 2016, snack items and side dishes sold a la carte must be <=200 mg sodium per item as served, including any added accompaniments. | |||
Entree items sold a la carte: <=480 mg sodium per item as served, including any added accompaniments/condiments | Entree items served are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal. | |||
Saturated Fats | <10% calories from saturated fat as served | Entree items served are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal. Reduced fat cheese (including part-skim mozzarella). Nuts and seeds and nut/seed butters. Products consisting of only dried fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or fats. Combination products when sold beyond day of service or day after service are not exempt and must meet all the nutrient standards. | ||
Trans Fat | <=0.5 g per portion | |||
Total Fats | <=35% calories from total fat as served | Entree items served are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal. Reduced fat cheese (including part-skim mozzarella). Nuts and seeds and nut/seed butters. Products consisting of only dried fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or fats. Seafood with no added fat. Combination products when sold beyond day of service or day after service are not exempt and must meet all the nutrient standards. | ||
Sugar | <=35% of weight from total sugar as served | Entree items served are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal. Dried whole fruits or vegetables; dried whole fruit or vegetable pieces; and dehydrated fruits or vegetables with no added nutritive sweeteners. Dried whole fruits, or pieces, with nutritive sweeteners that are required for processing and/or palatability purposes (i.e., cranberries, tart cherries or blueberries). Products consisting of only exempt dried fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or fats. | ||
Dietary Fiber/Whole Grain | >=50% whole grains by weight or have whole grains as the first ingredient | |||
Sugar-Free Chewing Gum | Sugar-free chewing gum is exempt from all competitive food standards. | |||
Accompaniments/ Condiments | Must be included in the nutrient profile as part of the food item served and meet all standards |
Beverages Table | ||||
Beverage | Allowable a la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items | Exemptions | ||
Milk | Lowfat milk, unflavored, or nonfat milk, flavored or unflavored, including nutritionally equivalent milk alternatives as permitted by NSLP*: * Elementary School <=8 fl oz * Middle and High School <=12 fl oz | |||
Fruit/Vegetable Juice | 100% fruit/vegetable juice, or 100% fruit/vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without carbonation) and no added sweeteners: * Elementary School <=8 fl oz * Middle and High School <=12 fl oz | |||
Water | Plain or plain carbonated water in any size | |||
Caffeine | * Elementary and Middle School: Foods and beverages must be caffeine-free with the exception of trace amounts of naturally occurring caffeine substances. * High School: Foods and beverages may contain caffeine. | |||
Other Flavored and/or Carbonated B everages | * Elementary or Middle School: None allowed. * High School: -Contain <=5 calories per 8 fl oz, or <=10 calories per 20 fl oz in sizes <=20 fl oz -Contain <=40 calories per 8 fl oz, or <=60 calories per 12 fl oz in sizes <=12 fl oz |
* National School Lunch Program
Iowa Admin. Code r. 281-58.11