Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value (FMNV)
In summer of 2003, the Texas Department of Agriculture began aggressively enforcing compliance to guidelines intended to eliminate unhealthy foods from school campuses - particularly at the elementary and middle school level. Any campuses in the state found to be in violation of these guidelines are subject to severe penalties, including withholding reimbursements for food service accounts. (Funds that pay for meals for children from low-income home who qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch.)
- Elementary schools may not provide access for students to FMNV or carbonated beverages at any time anywhere on campus during the school day. Such foods/beverages may not be sold or given away on school premises by the school, school or non-school organizations (PTA groups, fund raisers, booster clubs, etc.), teachers, parents or any other person or group during the school day.
- Middle schools may not serve or provide access to FMNV items during meal periods (breakfast, lunch, or snack). Campuses may not serve or provide access for students to prohibited volumes in excess of 12 oz. anywhere on school premises during the school day.
- Vending machines, if accessible to students, must be stocked with appropriate healthy choices.
- Students are permitted to bring FMNV foods or beverages from home as long as the student is not selling these items to or sharing these items with other students.
- FMNV food and beverages may not be made available to students on field trips or other school-sponsored functions.
Examples of Prohibited Food Items
(may include these specific items, but is not limited to just the named products):
- Soda Water - carbonated beverages such as Coca-cola, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Diet Coke, Root Beer, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, etc.
- Water Ices - snow cones, Slurpies, slushies, etc. (note: this does not include items of this type made with 100% fruit juices)
- Chewing Gum - Bubble Yum, Hubba Bubba, Wrigley's chewing gum, Blow Pops
- Certain Candies - Processed foods made predominantly from sweeteners or artificial sweeteners with a variety of minor ingredients which characterize the following types:
- Hard Candy - Jolly Ranchers, Mega Warheads Black Cherry, Cherry Sours, Nerds, Runts, Gobstoppers, Sweet Tarts, sour balls, fruit balls, candy sticks, lollipops, starlight mints, after-dinner mints, sugar wafers, rock candy, cinnamon candies, breath mints, jaw breakers and cough drops.
- Jellies and Gums - Gummy Apple Rings, Sour Worms, Orange Slices, Itsy Bitsy Gourmet Jelly Beans, Berry Fruit Snacks, Mike & Ike Original, Mike & Ike Sours, Hot Tamales, gumdrops, jelly beans, jellied and fruit-flavored slices, etc.
- Marshmallow Candies - Marshmallow cremes, Peeps, etc.
- Fondant - Candy corn, soft mints, Lemonheads, Cherryheads, Grapeheads, etc.
- Licorice - Twizzlers (any flavor or filling), etc.
- Spun Candy - Cotton candy, etc.
- Candy-Coated Popcorn - Poppycock, Cracker Jacks, etc.
Examples of Healthiest/Healthier Snack Products:
Healthiest
- Animal crackers, Graham crackers
(ex: Austin animal crackers, Nabisco graham crackers) - Nuts and seeds - plain or with spices
(ex: Mr. Nature Unsalted Nut Mix) - Trail mix (plain)
(ex: Kar Nut Trail Mix Original/All Energy, Mr. Nature Unsalted Trail Mix, Unsalted Energizer Mix) - Dried fruit - raisins, cranberries
(ex: Mr. Nature Dried Fruit Mix, Sun-Maid Raisins) - Fat-free popcorn
- Beef jerky (95% fat free)
Healthier
- Granola bars, Whole grain fruit bars
(ex: Nature Valley granola bars -any flavor, Nutri-Grain Apple/Blueberry/Strawberry Snackwells, Fat-free Cereal Bars) - Baked chips, Cornnuts, Rice cakes, Cereal/nut mix
(ex: Ritz Air Crisps, Ritz Air Crisps crackers, Wheatables Original/Honey Wheat, Wheat Thins) - Popcorn/nut mix (ex: Mr. Nature Mix 'n Yogurt)
- Fruit-flavored snacks (ex: Mr. Nature Dried Fruit Mix)
- Pretzels - any flavor
- Light Popcorn