Beverage Requirements

Public Schools

Public school districts include the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS), charter schools, interdistrict magnet schools, and endowed academies. All public schools must comply with the stricter provisions of Smart Snacks and the state beverage statute. The state beverage statute applies to all public schools, including district that do not implement the healthy food option of Healthy Food Certification (HFC) under C.G.S. Section 10-215f and schools that do not participate in the USDA school nutrition programs. 

Allowable Beverages

The requirements below include the stricter provisions of the state beverage statute and Smart Snacks beverage standards.

  1. Milk (unflavored or flavored) with no more than 4 grams of sugars per fluid ounce and no artificial sweeteners. Flavored milk cannot exceed 1.25 grams of added sugars per fluid ounce.
  2. Nondairy milk substitutes such as soy or rice milk (flavored or unflavored), that meet the USDA nutrition standards for nutritionally equivalent milk alternatives, do not contain artificial sweeteners, and do not exceed 4 grams of sugar per fluid ounce, 35 percent of calories from fat, and 10 percent of calories from saturated fat. For information on the USDA’s nutrition standards for fluid milk substitutes, refer to the CSDE’s resource, Allowable Fluid Milk Substitutes for Non-disability Reasons in the School Nutrition Programs.
  3. 100 percent juice (fruit, vegetable, or combination), containing no added sugars, sweeteners (including nonnutritive sweeteners) or artificial sweeteners.
  4. Beverages that contain only water and juice, with no added sugars, sweeteners (including nonnutritive sweeteners) or artificial sweeteners, and that meet the requirements specified in Requirements for Beverages Containing Water and Juice.
  5. Water (plain or carbonated), which may be flavored but cannot contain added sugars, sweeteners (including nonnutritive sweeteners), artificial sweeteners, or caffeine. Note: During the school day, water available for sale in elementary and middle schools must be unflavored but may be with or without carbonation. Water available for sale in high schools may be flavored or unflavored and with or without carbonation.

The portion size of these allowable beverages cannot exceed 8 fluid ounces for elementary schools and 12 fluid ounces for middle and high schools, with the exception of plain water, which is unlimited. Flavored water (allowed for high schools only) cannot exceed 20 fluid ounces.

Prohibited Beverages

Examples of prohibited beverages include soda (regular and diet), sports drinks (regular, low-calorie and zero calorie), hot chocolate (regular, low-calorie and sugar-free), energy drinks, and sweetened beverages (with or without carbonation) that are not 100 percent juice (e.g., lemonade and fruit punch drinks made with less than 100 percent juice). Beverages that do not comply with state statute cannot be sold to students on school premises unless the board of education or school governing authority votes to allow exemptions and:

  • the beverages are sold after the school day or on the weekend (the school day is the period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day);
  • the beverages are sold at the location of an event; and
  • the beverages are not sold from a vending machine or school store.

Beverages that do not comply with the requirements of state statute can never be sold in vending machines or school stores. For more information on beverage exemptions, refer to the CSDE's resource, Exemptions for Foods and Beverages in Public Schools.

Federal and State Requirements

Overview

Culinary Programs

Exemptions

Fundraisers

School Stores

Vending Machines