Smart Snack Standards

Smart Snack Standards For Schools

Calorie limits:

  • Snack items: ≤ 200 calories
  • Entrée items: ≤ 350 calories

Sodium limits:

  • Snack items: ≤ 230 mg
  • Entrée items: ≤ 480 mg

Fat limits:

  • Total fat: ≤ 35% of calories
  • Saturated fat: ≤ 10% of calories
  • Trans fat: zero grams

Sugar limit ≤ 35% of weight from total sugars in foods

Beverage Standards:

  • Plain water (with or without carbonation)
  • Unflavored low fat milk
  • Unflavored or flavored fat free milk and milk alternatives permitted by NSLP/SBP
  • 100% fruit or vegetable juice, and 100% fruit or vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without carbonation) and no added sweeteners

Elementary schools may sell up to 8-ounce portions, while middle and high schools may sell up to 12-ounce portions of milk and juice. There is no portion size limit for plain water.

Beyond this, the standards allow additional “no calorie” and “lower calorie” beverage options for high school students.

  • No more than 20-ounce portions of calorie-free, flavored water (with or without carbonation); and other flavored and/or carbonated beverages that are labeled to contain < 5 calories per 8 fluid ounces or ≤ 10 calories per 20 fluid ounces.
  • No more than 12-ounce portions of beverage with ≤ 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces, or ≤ 60 calories per 12 fluid ounces.

 

Smart Snacks Rules Summary

USDA Smart Snacks Brochure