School Food and Beverage Policy
P/PM 150
Elizabeth Strachan, RD, MPH
Public Health Nutritionist
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Purpose
The purpose of the presentation is to provide
an overview of:
• The rationale for a School Food and
Beverage Policy.
• The School Food and Beverage Policy.
• The Nutrition Standards.
• WECHU support of
policy implementation
in schools.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Why a Nutrition Policy for Schools?
68
10
1000
1500
% of boys (9-13 yrs)
consuming < 5 daily
servings of vegetables and fruit.
# of teaspoons of sugar
in one can of soft drink.
Amount of
sodium (mg)
in one large slice of pizza.
83
10
% of girls (10-16 yrs)
do not have 3 daily
servings of milk products.
% increase in risk of
becoming overweight for
each additional daily serving of
a sugar-sweetened beverage
(children, 1.5 yr-period).
Adequate Intake
of sodium (mg)
per day for children aged 9-18.
Our Children are at
NUTRITIONAL RISK!
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
The Link…
Research shows that:
• Health and education success are intertwined:
schools cannot achieve their primary mission of
education if students are not healthy.
-Storey, 2009
• Healthy eating patterns in childhood and
adolescence promote optimal childhood health,
growth, and intellectual development.
-CDC, 1996
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Schools Food and Beverage Policy (P/PM 150)
• Policy announced January 2010.
• September 2011 implementation.
• Builds on previous Healthy Schools
Initiatives.
• Healthy Food for Healthy Schools
Act (2008).
• Trans Fats Standards Regulation
• Sabrina’s Law
• DPA
• Revised curriculum.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
School Food and Beverage Policy
Includes Nutrition Standards for food and beverages sold.
Does not apply to foods and beverages:
• Offered at no cost.
• Brought from home.
• Purchased off school premises/during field trips.
• Sold for non-school purpose.
• Sold for fundraising off school premises.
• Sold in the staffroom
(e.g., cappuccino machines).
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Jumpstart Program
School Food and Beverage policy does not
apply to child nourishment programs as food
is given away not sold to students.
Exception:
• If foods sold on school grounds
for fundraising for Jumpstart,
then policy applies.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
School Food and Beverage Policy continued…
• School boards are responsible for
compliance and monitoring of policy.
• Each school required to declare by the
end of 2010-11 school year, that they
are compliant with regulations.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
School Food and Beverage Policy continued…
In addition, school boards and schools are required to:
• Comply with the Trans Fat Standards
(O. Reg. 200/08).
• Adhere to the school board’s policy
on anaphylaxis.
• Practice safe food handling and storage.
• Ensure students have
access to drinking water.
• Accommodate religious
and/or cultural needs.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
School Food and Beverage Policy continued…
School boards and schools are encouraged to:
• Offer food and beverages produced
in Ontario.
• Be environmentally aware (e.g., reduce food
waste, reuse containers, recycle food scraps).
• Avoid offering food or beverages as a reward
or an incentive for good behaviour,
achievement or participation.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Special Event Days
10 days per year can be chosen as school-wide
special event days when food and beverages sold in
the school can be exempt from policy. However…
They are encouraged
to meet the
nutrition standards
even on
special event days.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Nutrition Standards
Food is divided into six groups (the first four food groups
are from Canada’s Food Guide):
• Vegetables and Fruit
• Grain Products
• Milk and Alternatives
• Meat and Alternatives
• Mixed Dishes
• Miscellaneous Items
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Nutrition Standards continued…
Beverages are divided according to the type of school:
Elementary Schools
• Water
• 100% fruit juice
• Milk 2% or less or lower-fat Milk Alternatives (soy)
• Serving size 250 mL
Secondary Schools
• No serving size
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
How to know which foods and beverages to sell.
Criteria have been identified for three categories:
Sell Most
Products in this category are the healthiest options and generally have higher levels
of essential nutrients and lower amounts of fat, sugar, and/or sodium.
Sell Less
Products in this category may have slightly higher amounts of fat, sugar, and/or
sodium than food and beverages in the Sell Most category.
Not Permitted For Sale
Products in this category generally contain
few or no essential nutrients and/or contain
high amounts of fat, sugar, and/or sodium
(e.g., deep-fried and other fried foods,
confectionery).
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
In addition, Trans Fat Regulation Applies
Artificial trans fat content of spreads like margarine,
processed cheese spreads, peanut and other nut butters:
• < 2% of total fat content per serving.
Artificial trans fat content of all other foods, beverages
or ingredients:
• < 5% of total fat content per serving.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Unless Trans Fat is Zero, Calculation Required
Calculate
the trans fat content.
% trans fat = (g) trans fat x 100%
(g) total fat
1.5 X 100 = 30%
5.0
Therefore, this product does NOT meet the
trans fat standard (which is a maximum of
5% trans fat per serving).
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Categorizing Food and Beverages
To determine which category a specific food or beverage
fits, follow these three steps:
STEP 1
Compare the total fat and trans fat amounts (in grams) on your product's
Nutrition Facts table with the Trans Fat Standards. If your product does not meet
the Trans Fat Standards, it is Not Permitted for Sale (do not proceed to Step 2).
STEP 2
Identify the group and sub-group in the nutrition standards that your product
fits into (see the A-Z Food and Beverage List).
STEP 3
Compare the relevant information on
your product’s food label (i.e., the
Nutrition Facts table and ingredient list)
with the nutrition criteria in the nutrition
standards. Your product will fit into one
of the following categories: Sell Most, Sell
Less, or Not Permitted for Sale.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Example- Cracker
1. Which Food Group?
Grain Products
2. Which sub-group?
Grain-Based Snack
3. Compare the Nutrition Facts
table with subgroup criteria
4. Is it a Sell Most, Sell Less
or Not Permitted for Sale?
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Example- Cracker
Food Group – Grain Product
Sub-group – Grain Based Snack
Sell Most
Sell Less
Fat: ≤ 3g
and Saturated fat: ≤ 2g
and Sodium: ≤ 240mg
Fat: ≤ 5g
and Saturated fat: ≤ 2g
and Sodium: ≤ 480mg
Not Permitted for Sale
Fat: > 5g
and Saturated fat: > 2g
and Sodium: > 480mg
Trans fat:
< 5% of total fat content
per serving.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Does the cracker meet the Sell Most criteria?
Nutrition Criteria
Cracker Values
for Sell Most
Trans fat: ≤ 5%
0g
Fat: ≤ 3g
2g
and Saturated fat: ≤ 2g
0.3g
and Sodium: ≤ 240mg
230mg
Sell Most?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Nutrition Standards: Mixed Dishes
With a Nutrition Facts Table
Compare the food label information with the Mixed Dishes criteria.
Sell Most Fat: ≤ 10g
and Saturated Fat: ≤ 5g
and Sodium: ≤ 960 mg
and Fibre: ≥ 2g
and Protein: ≥ 10g
--------------------------------------------Sell Less Fat: ≤ 15g
and Saturated Fat: ≤ 7g
and Sodium: ≤ 960mg
and Fibre: ≥ 2g
and Protein: ≥ 7g
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Frozen Pizza Example
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Frozen Pizza Example
Calculate
the trans fat content.
% trans fat = (g) trans fat x 100%
(g) total fat
0.2 X 100 = 1.8%
11
Therefore, this product DOES meet the
trans fat standard (which is a maximum
of 5% trans fat per serving).
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Nutrition Standards – Mixed Dishes continued…
For Mixed Dishes Without a Nutrition Facts table, use the
nutrition standards to assess each major and minor
ingredient.
Major ingredients are:
• Any product identified from
one of the four food groups
or beverage groups.
• Products used in very small
amounts are excluded.
• All pizza toppings are
considered major ingredients.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Nutrition Standards – Mixed Dishes continued…
Miscellaneous Items Group:
Minor ingredients are identified as:
• Salad dressings, fats. oils
• Condiments
• Spreads (jam),
• Gravies, Sauces Dips,
• Other, e.g., olives, parmesan cheese,
chocolate chips, coconut, etc.
These ingredients can be used
but only in limited amounts.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
How is the product’s suitability verified?
Nutrient analysis not required, BUT…
• The vendor must verify that the product meets the criteria.
• The school must determine what criteria they will accept
as proof.
What can be used as proof?
• Nutrition analysis
• Copies of nutrition labels for each major/minor
food item for the product, e.g. pizza
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
ACTIVITY 1
Applying the Nutrition Standards
Categorizing Food and Beverages
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
The 80/20 Rule
Once you have determined which category your product fits
into, you will need to ensure that the products offered for
sale in all venues, through all programs, and at all events,
meet the 80/20 rule.
Step 4 – Assess each venue,
program, and event to
determine if the food and
beverages offered for sale
meet the 80/20 rule.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
The 80/20 Rule continued…
Sell Most
≥80%
Products in this category
must make up at least
80% of all food choices
and all beverage choices
that are offered for sale
in all venues, through all
programs, and at all
events.
Sell Less
≤20%
Products in this category
must make up no more
than 20 per cent of all
food choices and all
beverage choices that
are offered for sale in all
venues, through all
programs, and at all
events.
Not Permitted for Sale
0%
Food and beverages in
this category must not be
sold in schools.
The 80/20 rule is based on
the number of products
offered for sale, not the
number of products sold.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
The 80/20 Rule continued…
When assessing the food and beverage choices
offered for sale:
• All food choices are assessed together.
• All beverage choices are assessed together.
• Food choices are assessed separately from
beverage choices.
• If there are fewer than 5 choices,
all must be Sell Most
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
ACTIVITY 2
Applying the 80/20 Rule
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
How is WECHU Supporting School Boards?
Education
WHO?
• School boards, principals, teachers,
students, parent councils.
HOW?
• Fact sheets, Appleseed newsletter inserts,
posters, articles, and WECHU website.
• Workshops for principals,
teachers, PAC Umbrella
groups.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
P/PM 150 Support continued…
Nutrition Month
WHO?
• Teachers, students, PACs.
HOW?
• Promote Nutrition Tools for Schools program.
• Develop curriculum
based activities for P/PM 150.
• Expand You’re the
Chef program.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
P/PM 150 Support continued…
Skill Building/Youth Engagement
WHO?
• Students in elementary schools.
HOW?
• Challenges –creative fundraising.
• Engage students, teachers, parents and principals in
Nutrition Tools for Schools.
• Use P/PM 150 tools
• You’re the Chef
cooking program.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
P/PM 150 Support continued…
Environmental Support
WHAT?
• Healthy Eating environment.
HOW?
• Nutrition Tools for Schools program
• Healthy fundraising ideas
• Analysis of recipes for
vendors, PAC groups
• Non-food reward ideas
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
P/PM 150 Support continued…
Advocacy/Policy
WHO?
• School Boards, School Communities, PAC groups.
HOW?
• Review school board P/PM 150 policies for compliance.
• Eliminate 10 exempt days.
• Promote adoption of Maximum
Nutrition criteria.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
In Summary…
•Support the spirit and benefits of P/PM 150.
•Involve ALL stakeholders in process of implementation.
•Embed policy into comprehensive school health approach.
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.
Resources
Eat Right Ontario 1-877-510-5102
www.Ontario.ca/EatRight
Service Ontario publications
https://www.publications.serviceontario.ca/ecom/
Ministry of Education resources online:
http://healthy.apandrose.com/nst
http://healthy.apandrose.com/menutool
Elizabeth Strachan, RD, MPH
Public Health Nutritionist
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
519-258-2146, ext. 1273
estrachan@wechealthunit.org
© Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, April, 2011.