Choosing Nutritious Foods:
School Snack/Breakfast Programs
Planning a menu in advance will help Student Nutrition Program coordinators to select nutritious foods and budget for your program.
Use Canada’s Food Guide and the Student Nutrition Program (SNP) Nutrition Guidelines to identify foods, from the three food groupings that can be offered in a Student Nutrition Programs.
Examples of Food Offered in Student Nutrition Programs
Vegetables and Fruit
Cucumber, apples, pears, oranges/clementines, baby carrots, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, bananas, bell peppers, unsweetened applesauce and more.
Whole Grain Foods
Whole grain or whole wheat bagels/English muffins/crackers; whole grain granola bars (without chocolate or yogurt), oatmeal, or whole grain cereal and more.
Protein Foods
Milk or unsweetened Fortified Soy beverage, yogurt (with < 11 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving), lower fat cheese, hard boiled eggs, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, bean dips, tofu and more.
See the SNP Nutrition Guidelines (pages 8 - 16) for more examples of foods that meet the guidelines and can be offered in your program.
What is a Healthy Snack?
A snack is made up of at least:
1 Vegetable or Fruit and
1 Whole Grain food OR 1 Protein food
What is a Healthy Breakfast or Morning Meal?
A meal is made up of at least:
1 Vegetable or Fruit,
1 Whole Grain food, and
1 Protein food
“Serve” and “Do Not Serve”
The SNP Nutrition Guidelines classify foods and beverages as “Serve” or “Do Not Serve” items. Check the guidelines to see if the foods and beverages that you are offering in your program are included in the “Serve” category.
“Serve” Foods:
Have lower amounts of added sugar, salt and saturated fats
Are a good source of nutrients such as fibre, calcium and iron
Are minimally processed
Can be served at all meals and snacks
Align with recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide
Are safe to consume
“Do Not Serve” Foods:
Have higher amounts of added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats
Contain small amounts of important nutrients such as fibre, calcium, and iron
Are highly processed
Should not be offered in Student Nutrition Programs
Do not align with recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide
May not be safe to consume (e.g. raw fish, sprouts or unpasteurized dairy)
Do Not Serve: Miscellaneous Items
These products contain few or no essential nutrients, and/or contain high amounts of salt, sugar and/or saturated/trans fats.
Foods and beverages containing caffeine such as coffee, tea, and iced tea
Diet pop, regular pop, energy drinks, sport drinks, flavoured or vitamin water
Protein or meal replacement drinks and bars
Candy (including yogurt covered), chocolate, marshmallows, licorice, jelly desserts, puddings
Frozen treats such as ice cream, freezie-type treats, popsicles, slushies and frozen juice snacks
Hard margarines lard or shortening, palm oil, foods with artificial trans fat, foods with sugar substitutes or sweeteners
Minor Ingredients
The following may be served in small amounts:
Condiments such as ketchup, relish, mustard, cream cheese (1 -2 tsp per student), and salsa (3 tbsp per student)
Gravies and sauces (1 -2 tbsp per student)
Dips such as salad dressings, sour cream, baba ghanoush, and spinach dip (3 tbsp per student)
Oils, non-hydrogenated margarines, dressings, mayonnaise (1 -2 tsp per student)
Toppings and extras such as coconut, parmesan cheese (approx. 2 -3 tsp per student), olives (approx. 4 - 5 per student), pickles (approx. 1 medium per student)
Honey, jam, jelly, marmalade, fruit butter or syrup (approx. 1 -2 tsp per student)
For additional tips and assistance with choosing nutritious foods and implementing the SNP Nutrition Guidelines in your program, please contact York Region Public Health.
Resources
Nutrition Guidelines Resource for Student Nutrition Programs