List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages

Overview

The Connecticut State Department of Education's (CSDE) List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages includes brand-specific lists of commercial food products that comply with the Connecticut Nutrition Standards (CNS) and commercial beverages that comply with the beverage requirements of Section 10 -221q of the Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.). These foods and beverages also meet the USDA's Smart Snacks nutrition standards.

Public schools that choose to implement the healthy food option of Healthy Food Certification (HFC) under C.G.S. Section 10-215f must follow the CNS for all foods sold to students separately from reimbursable meals. The state beverage requirements (C.G.S. Section 10-221q) apply to all public schools, even if they do not choose the healthy food option of HFC or do not participate in the NSLP.

List Guidelines | List Updates | List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages

List Guidelines

Offer nutrient-rich foods: The CSDE strongly encourages schools to offer a la carte choices that include a variety of minimally processed and naturally nutrient-rich whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or nonfat dairy, lean meats, and beans, peas, and lentils. While the listed foods are healthier alternatives to traditional snack foods, not all products are the best choices nutritionally. For example, baked chips are lower in fat than regular chips that do not meet the CNS, but neither product provides significant nutritional value. Schools are encouraged to review the nutrient content of allowable products and select the most nutrient-rich products.
Product information: The approval is for the product exactly as listed. When purchasing products, check that they match the exact description on the list, including the manufacturer name, product name, product description (e.g., variety/flavor), serving size, case pack, product code, and nutrition information. Not all varieties or flavors of the same product type or brand will comply with the CNS.
Serving size: The lists include individually packaged food and beverage products, and some bulk products that can be portioned into individual servings. Bulk foods cannot be served in a larger amount than the specified serving.
Product formulations and packaging can change: The information for each product is based on information supplied by the manufacturer at the time of the product review. If the product's label or manufacturer's information does not match the information on the list, please submit the product’s information to the CSDE for review prior to purchasing. For more information, refer to the CSDE's document, Submitting Food and Beverage Products for Approval.
Identifying new products: The manufacturer and food item (first two columns) are highlighted in pink for all new products added since the previous update. A summary of these changes is available in the CSDE's Summary of Updates to the Connecticut State Department of Education’s List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages.
Added accompaniments: The approval is for the product by itself, without any added foods or accompaniments, such as butter, margarine, cream cheese, jam, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, salad dressing, dipping sauce, and gravy. If a listed product will be served with another food or accompaniment, the selling entity must determine if the combined serving of the listed product with added foods/accompaniments still complies with the CNS. Examples include bagels with cream cheese, waffles with syrup, french fries with ketchup, and muffins with butter. For more information, visit the "How to Evaluate Foods for CNS Compliance" section of the CSDE's CNS webpage.
Condiments: Condiments do not belong to any of the five CNS categories and are not included on the lists. HFC public schools cannot sell condiments a la carte. Condiments cannot be sold with a food unless the serving of the food and condiment together complies with the CNS (refer to "Added accompaniments" above).
Better Choice Recommendations: These optional additional standards help schools identify even better choices and are located in the green and white columns on the right of each list. The Better Choice Recommendations vary depending on the food category, but generally include the following: no artificial flavors or colors; no high fructose corn syrup; at least 2.5 grams of fiber (a “good” source of fiber as defined by the FDA); and 100 percent whole grain (applicable only to products containing grains). Foods that meet the Better Choice Recommendations are often less processed and contain fewer ingredients.
Searching a list: To search for specific foods, beverages, or manufacturers, open the appropriate list. On the toolbar, click on “edit” then “find,” and enter the information to search.

List Updates

Submitting products: The CSDE encourages schools and vendors to submit new product information to the CSDE for evaluation. The CSDE's Submitting Food and Beverage Products for Approval summarizes the information required to submit products for review.
Updates: The CSDE updates the List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages webpage every few months. The CSDE's Summary of Updates to the Connecticut State Department of Education’s List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages indicates products that have been added or deleted since the last update.
Vendor contacts: The CSDE's Contact Information for Vendors Selling Foods and Beverages Listed on the Connecticut State Department of Education's List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages is a list of contact information for the manufacturers, brokers, and distributors that sell the foods and beverages listed on the CSDE's List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages.

List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages

List 1: Chips, popcorn, rice cakes, puffed snacks
List 2: Crackers, pita chips, hard pretzels, snack mix
List 3: Cookies and Bars (e.g., granola bars, cereal bars, animal/graham crackers)
List 4: Bakery Products (e.g., muffins, rolls, bagels, waffles, pancakes, soft pretzels)
List 5: Breakfast Cereals (cold ready-to-eat cereal, granola, and cooked hot cereal, e.g., oatmeal)
List 6: Nuts, Seeds, and Jerky (including nut/seed butters, soy nuts, trail mix)
List 7: Yogurt and Pudding
List 8: Cheese (low-fat or reduced-fat natural cheese)
List 9: Smoothies (made with low-fat yogurt and fruits/vegetables/100 percent juice)
List 10: Frozen Desserts (e.g., ice cream, ice cream novelties, frozen fruit/juice bars)
List 11: Fruits and Vegetables (individually packaged fresh, frozen, canned, dried)
List 12: Soups (ready-to-serve, condensed, frozen)
List 13: Non-entree Combination Foods (contain more than one food component)
List 14: Entrees (sold only a la carte)
List 15: Cooked Grains (e.g., pasta, rice, quinoa, bulgur)
List 16: Beverages – Milk (low fat and fat free, unflavored or flavored)
List 17: Beverages – Dairy Alternatives, e.g., soy milk
List 18: Beverages – 100% Juices (carbonated and noncarbonated)
List 19: Beverages – 100% Juice Frozen Slushes
List 20: Beverages – Water with Juice (carbonated and noncarbonated)
List 21: Beverages – Waters (carbonated and noncarbonated)