Healthy Snacks & Rewards

Healthy Schools Program Healthy Celebrations

Why does it matter?

It is important to provide consistent messaging around food, beverages and healthy eating throughout our schools and out-of-school time programs is important. Promoting healthy options during meal or snack times, while allowing foods high in calories, fat, sugar and sodium at celebrations, sends students conflicting messages. Celebrations can include healthy options, or take on a non-food focus to provide opportunities for more play and time to enjoy music, dance, games, sports and other fun activities. Evolving policies and standards around foods and beverages allowed in schools and out-of-school time programs create an opportunity for starting new traditions to celebrate special days throughout the school year or during out-of-school time.

Check ingredient statements and nutrition information to ensure celebratory items meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Ensure food allergies of any participants are known before serving any food item.

For more information on healthy celebrations or finding healthy snacks and beverages, contact the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Examples of NON-FOOD alternatives:

• Bring supplies for a game or craft project
• Bring small items to trade (pencils, stickers or erasers)
• Bring music for a dance party
• Provide extra recess or play time
• Bring a special book
• Arrange for a guest reader
• Hold a special show and tell
• Arrange for special time with a principal, teacher or staff - take a walk around the school or playground
• Organize a community project
• Create a themed scavenger hunt around the school
• Stock a treasure chest - bring items like pencils, stickers, erasers or other small trinkets to fill the chest
• Allow the birthday child to be the class assistant to help with special tasks
• Allow the birthday child to wear a special sash and crown or carry a special item

Examples of FOOD alternatives:

• Snacks like smoothies, yogurt parfaits, trail mix, roll ups or other items that young people can assemble are great ways to get students involved in the preparation.
• Allow students to use cookie cutters to make foods into fun shapes.
• Plan theme menus – use monthly, seasonal or holiday themes. For example, serve warm apple cider (100% juice) in the fall, toasted pumpkin seeds in October, or turkey roll-ups in November. Make red and green fruit kabobs in December, fill green peppers with fat-free or low fat yogurt dip in March, or hand out frosty fruits in the summer. Here are other helpful food suggestions:
  • Water
  • 100% fruit juice with no added sugar
  • Fat-free or low fat milk
  • Fruit smoothies (made with frozen fruit with no added sugar and fat-free or low fat yogurt)
  • 100% fruit juice slushies with no added sugar
  • Fresh fruit - trays, salads or kabobs
  • Fresh vegetables - trays, salads or kabobs
  • Fat-free or low fat yogurt (alone or as a dip for fruits or vegetables)
  • Yogurt parfaits (fat-free or low fat yogurt, fruit and whole grain cereal or granola as topping)
  • Canned fruit or fruit cups (in water, 100% fruit juice of light syrup)
  • Frozen fruit or fruit cups (in water, 100% fruit juice of light syrup)
  • Frosty fruits - freeze your own fruit (frozen grapes make a great treat!)
  • Dried fruit with no added sugar
  • Nut or seed butter (with fruit or whole grain crackers)
  • Nuts or seeds
  • Trail mix made of nuts or seeds and dried fruit with no added sugar
  • Whole grain crackers
  • Low-fat cheese (with fruit or whole grain crackers)
  • Hummus (with vegetables or whole grain crackers)
  • Small, whole grain waffles or pancakes topped with fruit or nut or seed butter
  • Whole grain pretzels (soft or crunchy)
  • Low-fat or air-popped popcorn (no added butter or salt)
  • Graham crackers
  • Nut or seed butter and jelly sandwiches on whole grain bread
  • Small whole grain bagels or English muffins with nut or seed butter or jelly
  • Pizza (on whole grain crust with low fat cheese and lean protein or vegetable toppings)
  • Roll-ups on whole grain tortillas (fill with a lean protein, low fat cheese, hummus, nut or seed butter and jelly or vegetables)
  • Fat-free or low fat pudding
  • Bean quesadillas or burritos made with whole grain tortillas with salsa
  • Whole grain cereal bars
  • Baked whole grain tortilla chips with salsa or bean dip
  • Baked chips (small portions)