Outline of the state of Iowa
State
Iowa
Requires nutrition standards that meet federal smart snacks requirements

Category
Competitive Foods—ES

Category
Competitive Foods—ES

State law requires that food and beverages sold outside of school meal programs meet federal Smart Snacks nutrition standards.

Iowa Administrative Code 281-58.11 Nutritional content Standard.

*Foods Table**

Nutrient: General Standard for Competitive Food Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: To be allowable, a competitive food item must meet all of the competitive food nutrient Standard 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.

Exemptions:

  • Any entrée item offered as part of the lunch program or the breakfast program is exempt from all competitive food Standard 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 Standard.
  • 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 Standard.
  • 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 Standard.

Nutrient: Calories Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items:

  • Snack items and side dishes sold à la carte: ≤200 calories per item as served, including any added accompaniments
  • Entrée items sold à la carte: ≤350 calories per item as served, including any added accompaniments

Exemptions: Entrèe items served are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal.

Nutrient: Sodium Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items:

  • Snack items and side dishes sold à la carte: ≤230 mg sodium per item as served
  • Effective July 1, 2016, snack items and side dishes sold à la carte must be ≤200 mg sodium per item as served, including any added accompaniments.
  • Entrée items sold à la carte: ≤480 mg sodium per item as served, including any added accompaniments/condiments

Exemptions: Entrée items served are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal.

Nutrient: Saturated Fats Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items:

  • <10% calories from saturated fat as served

Exemptions:

  • Entrée 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 Standard.

Nutrient: Trans Fat Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: ≤0.5 g per portion

Nutrient: Total Fats Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: ≤35% calories from total fat as served Exemptions:

  • Entrée 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 Standard.

Nutrient: Sugar Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: ≤35% of weight from total sugar as served Exemptions:

  • Entrée 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.

Nutrient: Dietary Fiber/Whole Grain Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: ≥50% whole grains by weight or have whole grains as the first ingredient

Nutrient: Sugar-Free Chewing Gum Exemptions: Sugar-free chewing gum is exempt from all competitive food Standard.

Nutrient: Accompaniments/Condiments Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: Must be included in the nutrient profile as part of the food item served and meet all Standard

Beverages Table

Beverage: Milk Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: Lowfat milk, unflavored, or nonfat milk, flavored or unflavored, including nutritionally equivalent milk alternatives as permitted by NSLP (National School Lunch Program):

  • Elementary School ≤8 fl oz
  • Middle and High School ≤12 fl oz

Beverage: Fruit/Vegetable Juice Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: 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

Beverage: Water Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items: Plain or plain carbonated water in any size

Beverage: Caffeine Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items:

  • 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.

Beverage: Other Flavored and/or Carbonated Beverages Allowable à la Carte, Vending, and Regulated Fundraising Items:

  • 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
Policy Type
Regulation

Iowa Code 256.7 Duties of State Board.

  1. Adopt rules establishing nutritional content Standard for foods and beverages sold or provided on the school grounds of any school district or accredited nonpublic school during the school day exclusive of the food provided by any federal school food program or pursuant to an agreement with any agency of the federal government in accordance with the provisions of chapter 283A, and exclusive of foods sold for fundraising purposes and foods and beverages sold at concession stands. The Standard shall be consistent with the dietary guidelines for Americans issued by the United States department of agriculture food and nutrition service.
Policy Type
Statute