Competitive Foods Reference - Charter or Private

This resource is updated to reflect the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Final Rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), effective July 1, 2024.

Key

* A whole grain item contains:

• A whole grain as the first ingredient, or
• A combination of whole grain ingredients comprising at least 50 percent of the total grain weight
  

** Dried blueberries, cranberries, cherries, tropical fruit, chopped dates, or chopped figs that contain added sugar are exempt from fat and sugar standards. Canned fruit in 100 percent juice only.

Elementary School – Food Restrictions

References: Code of Federal Regulations sections 210.11, 220.12; California Health and Safety Code (HSC), Section 109025

• Effective from midnight to one-half hour after the end of the official school day.
  
• Applies to all foods sold to students by any entity.
  

Compliant Foods

In addition to the nutrition standards below, consult your district’s wellness policy for stricter rules.

Groups or individuals selling foods/beverages to students must keep their own records as proof of compliance.

Must meet one of the following general food standards:

• Be a fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein, or whole grain-rich (WGR) item* (or have one of these be the first ingredient), or
  
• Be a combination food containing at least one-quarter cup of fruit, vegetable, or a combination of fruit and vegetable.

Must meet the following nutrition standards:

• Less than or equal to 35 percent calories from total fat (except nuts, seeds, or dried fruit and nut/seed combination, with no added fat; or reduced-fat cheese or part-skim mozzarella, eggs, fruit, non-fried vegetables, seafood, bean dip/hummus), and
• Less than 10 percent calories from saturated fat (except nuts, seeds, or dried fruit and nut/seed combination, with no added fat; or reduced-fat cheese or part skim mozzarella, eggs), and
• Less than or equal to 35 percent sugar by weight (except fruit**, non-fried vegetables, dried fruit and nut/seed combination), and
• Less than or equal to 200 milligrams sodium per snack or less than or equal to 480 milligrams per entrée item (no exceptions), and
• Less than or equal to 200 calories snack or less than or equal to 350 calories per entrée item (no exceptions)
• All foods must be caffeine-free (trace amounts are allowable).
• Beginning January 1, 2027, no food shall contain any of the following substances (no exceptions):
  • Brominated vegetable oil
  • Potassium bromate
  • Propylparaben
  • Red dye 3
    

All fresh, canned, frozen fruits in 100 percent juice, extra light, or light syrup; fresh, canned vegetables (low sodium, no salt added, or containing a small amount of sugar) are exempt from all nutrition standards.

Paired Foods

• If exempt food(s) are combined with nonexempt food(s) or added fat/sugar they must meet all nutrition standards above.
• If two foods exempt from one or more of the nutrition standards are paired together and sold as a single item, the item must meet for sodium, and calories.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP) Entrees

• All entrees served as part of the NSLP, and grain-only entrees served as part of the SBP, are exempt from all competitive food standards when sold as individual items the day of or day after they appear on the NSLP/SBP menu.

A competitive entree is intended as the main dish and contains a:

• Meat/meat alternate and a grain or
  
• Meat/meat alternate and fruit/vegetable, or
  
• Meat/meat alternate alone (not yogurt, cheese, nuts, seeds, or meat snacks = these are considered a “snack” food), or
  
• A grain-only entree that is served as the main dish of the School Breakfast Program reimbursable meal.
  
• AND must meet nutrition standards (see above).

Elementary School – Beverage Restrictions

References: Code of Federal Regulations sections 210.11, 220.12; HSC, Section 109025

• Effective from midnight to one-half hour after the end of the official school day.
• Applies to ALL beverages sold to students by any entity.

Compliant Beverages

All beverages must be caffeine-free (trace amounts allowable).

• Fruit or vegetable juice:
  • 100 percent juice (can be diluted with water, no dilution limit), and
  • No added sweeteners, and
  • Less than or equal to 8 fluid ounce serving size
• Milk:
  • 1 percent (unflavored), nonfat (flavored, unflavored), and
  • Contains Vitamin A and Vitamin D, and
  • Beginning July 1, 2025, contains no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces, and
  • Less than or equal to 8 fluid ounce serving size
    
• Non-dairy milk:
  • Nutritionally equivalent to milk, must contain per 8 fluid ounces:
    • At least 276 milligrams calcium
    • At least 8 grams protein
    • At least 150 micrograms retinol activity equivalents (RAE) Vitamin A
    • At least 2.5 micrograms Vitamin D
    • At least 24 milligrams magnesium
    • At least 222 milligrams phosphorus
    • At least 349 milligrams potassium
    • At least 0.44 milligrams riboflavin
    • At least 1.1 micrograms Vitamin B12, and
    • Less than or equal to 8 fluid ounce serving size
      
• Water:
  • No added sweeteners, flavors, etc.
  • No serving size limit
    
• Beginning January 1, 2027, no beverage shall contain any of the following substances (no exceptions):
  • Brominated vegetable oil
  • Potassium bromate
  • Propylparaben
  • Red dye 3

Middle/High School – Food Restrictions

References: Code of Federal Regulations sections 210.11, 220.12; HSC, Section 109025

• Effective from midnight to one-half hour after the end of the official school day.
  
• Applies to all foods sold to students by any entity.
  

Compliant Foods

In addition to the nutrition standards below, consult your district’s wellness policy for stricter rules.

Foods containing caffeine are not allowed in middle school.

Foods containing caffeine are allowed in high school.

Groups or individuals selling foods/beverages to students must keep their own records as proof of compliance.

Must meet one of the following general food standards:

• Be a fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein, or whole grain item* (or have one of these be the first ingredient), or
• Be a combination food containing at least a quarter cup of fruit or vegetable.

Must meet the following nutrition standards:

• Less than or equal to 35 percent calories from total fat (except nuts, seeds, reduced-fat cheese/part skim mozzarella, eggs, dried fruit and nut/seed combo, seafood, bean dip/hummus), and
• Less than 10 percent calories from saturated fat (except nuts, seeds, reduced-fat cheese/part skim mozzarella, eggs, dried fruit and nut/seed combo), and
  
• Less than or equal to 35 percent sugar by weight (except dried fruit**/veggies, dried fruit and nut/seed combo), and
  
• Less than or equal to 200 milligrams sodium per snack or less than or equal to 480 milligrams per entrée (no exceptions), and
  
• Less than or equal to 200 calories per snack or less than or equal to 350 calories per entrée item (no exceptions)
  
• Beginning January 1, 2027, no food shall contain any of the following substances (no exceptions):
  • Brominated vegetable oil
  • Potassium bromate
  • Propylparaben
  • Red dye 3

All fresh, canned, frozen fruits in 100 percent juice, extra light, or light syrup; fresh, canned vegetables (low sodium, no salt added, or containing a small amount of sugar) are exempt from all nutrition standards.

Paired Foods

• If exempt food(s) are combined with nonexempt food(s) or added fat/sugar they must meet all nutrition standards above.
• If two foods exempt from one or more of the nutrition standards are paired together and sold as a single item, the item must meet for sodium, and calories.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP) Entrees

• All entrees served as part of the NSLP and grain-only entrees served as part of the SBP, are exempt from all competitive food standards when sold as individual items the day of or day after they appear on the NSLP/SBP menu.
• Beginning January 1, 2027, no food shall contain any of the following substances:
  • Brominated vegetable oil
  • Potassium bromate
  • Propylparaben
  • Red dye 3

A competitive entree is intended as the main dish and contains a:

• Meat/meat alternate and a grain, or
• Meat/meat alternate and fruit/vegetable, or
• Meat/meat alternate alone (not yogurt, cheese, nuts, seeds, or meat snacks = these are considered a “snack” food), or
• A grain only entree that is served as the main dish of the School Breakfast Program reimbursable meal.
• AND must meet nutrition standards (see above).

Middle/High School – Beverage Restrictions

References: Code of Federal Regulations sections 210.11, 220.12; HSC, Section 109025

• Effective from midnight to one-half hour after the end of the official school day.
• Applies to all beverages sold to students by any entity.

Compliant Beverages

• Fruit or Vegetable juice:
  • 100 percent juice (can be diluted with water, no dilution limit), and
  • No added sweeteners, and
  • Less than or equal to 12 fluid ounce serving size
• Milk:
  • One percent (unflavored), nonfat (flavored, unflavored), and
  • Contains Vitamin A and Vitamin D, and
  • Beginning July 1, 2025, contains no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces or no more than 15 grams of added sugars per 12 fluid ounces, and
  • Less than or equal to 12 fluid ounce serving size
    
• Non-dairy milk:
  • Nutritionally equivalent to milk, must contain per 8 fluid ounces:
    • At least 276 milligrams calcium
    • At least 8 grams protein
    • At least 150 micrograms retinol activity equivalents (RAE) Vitamin A
    • At least 2.5 micrograms Vitamin D
    • At least 24 milligrams magnesium
    • At least 222 milligrams phosphorus
    • At least 349 milligrams potassium
    • At least 0.44 milligrams riboflavin
    • At least 1.1 micrograms Vitamin B12, and
  • Less than or equal to 12 fluid ounce serving size
    
• Water
  • No added sweeteners, flavors, etc.
  • No serving size limit
    
• Other flavored beverages “no calorie” (High Schools Only):
  • Less than or equal to 5 calories per 8 fluid ounces (or less than or equal to 10 calories per 20 fluid ounces)
  • Less than or equal to 20 fluid ounce serving size
    
• Other flavored beverages “low calorie” (High Schools Only):
  • Less than or equal to 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces
  • Less than or equal to 12 fluid ounce serving size
• Beginning January 1, 2027, no beverage shall contain any of the following substances (no exceptions):
  • Brominated vegetable oil
  • Potassium bromate
  • Propylparaben
  • Red dye 3

Beverages containing caffeine are not allowed in middle school.

Beverages containing caffeine are allowed in high school.