Have you noticed the scarcity of bake sales in our halls in recent years?
This is the result of a Helena School Board decision to follow USDA guidelines. Helena High Principal Mr. Thennis explained in an email, “My understanding is that part of our contract with Sodexo [the food service company HHS uses] requires it – so they do audits, etc.” He went on to explain that a significantly sized committee composed of parents, administration, and other members of the community work on this issue of nutrition in the school district. “I am not a part of it but I think the push is to be much more strict with this,” he said.
The school has subscribed to guidelines from the 2013 USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Guide to Smart Snacks in the School. The manual details the federal requirement for “all food sold outside of the federal reimbursable school meal programs during the school day.”
The guide goes on to explain that these foods sold to students must meet the federal Smart Snacks Standards. These standards refer to “à la carte items sold in the cafeteria and foods sold in school stores, snack bars, and vending machines” as well as “Foods and beverages sold during fundraisers” like bake sales.
To qualify as a “Smart Snack,” a snack or entrée must first meet the general nutrition standards: have fruit, vegetables, whole grain, dairy, or protein listed as the first ingredient, be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable, and must meet the nutrition standards for calories, sodium, fats, and total sugars. This accounts for why fundraising opportunities like Green Group Donuts for $1 and club-mandated bake sales are seldom to none.
Mrs. Jamie O’Malley, science teacher and Key Club advisor, explained that these guidelines in question “limit fundraising, which is already hard” for clubs. “Kids already don’t like school, don’t take away treats!” she commented.
She went on to say, “I think the FDA needs to help schools provide healthy, home-cooked meals in the cafeteria like we used to have. Schools had people actually cooking healthy food for kids, instead of getting food from a major vendor.”
Senior Nick DeWald, event planner for HHS Green Group, said “Green Group sold doughnuts every week most years for 15 years, and last year in the winter of 2022, we were shut down three months into our doughnut project.” He said the money last year went to local environmental organizations that Green Group selected.
Regarding HHS clubs seeking to put on bake sales and other fundraising opportunities, Mr. Thennis wrote that he “would certainly consider it – for a variety of reasons I believe there has to be some latitude with the guidelines.” He went on to say, “I also know that obesity rates are climbing nationwide so I think we could at least attempt to do a small part.”
We will continue to see how these guidelines affect HHS for years to come.
