Celebrate & Fundraise the Healthy Way

Norfolk Public Schools’ School Wellness Policy requires all foods and beverages available to children during the school day meet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition standards. This includes food and beverages offered during celebrations, parties, and snacks brought by parents or teachers for any occasion. To keep children safe, healthy, and included in any celebration, we encourage non-food celebrations.

Here are some fun, non-food celebrations and fundraising ideas! Parents be sure to check with your child’s teacher or the school principal first before planning activities.

• Goodie-Bags with party favors like notepads, balloons, pencils, stickers, keychains, and small toys.
• Buy something for the classroom (books, games, music, class pet, etc.)
• Extra recess time in your child’s honor or sell tickets to add 1 extra min of recess to make it a fundraiser
• A game or other indoor activity for recess given in your child’s honor or sell tickets to have a game or other indoor activity held in your child's honor for a fundraiser
• A birthday dance party in class or sell tickets to earn a dance party in your classroom for a fundraiser
• Play music during class
• Send supplies for a craft project
• Send an item your child’s classmates can sign for their birthday, like a shirt, hat, or picture frame

School Nutrition has a recommended Smart-Snack Compliant food items list- Approved Smart Snacks

For additional Smart-Snack Compliant food items please visit the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Smart Food Planner.  These products were determined to meet the Smart Snacks Standards based on the product’s ingredient statement and Nutrition Facts panel. If you don’t see the item listed, you can still see if it is Smart Snack compliant by entering information from the food or beverage’s Nutrition Facts panel and ingredients list into the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Smart Snacks Product Calculator. Submit your Smart Snack Compliant food to your School Wellness Champion for approval.

Using Food as a Reward

As per the School Wellness Policy, foods and beverages will not be used as a reward, or withheld as punishment for any reason, such as performance or behavior. Food rewards contradict classroom lessons on nutrition, add empty calories to kids’ diets and teach kids to eat when they’re not hungry — setting the stage for unhealthy habits that can last a lifetime and contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic.

Check out these fun ideas for non-food rewards to use with students.