Snack Shack: stoppage saddens students

Selling snacks in Milton High School during school hours has been shut down due to federal policy.  

Milton Food Service Director Ms. Ashley Reese said that food/snacks are prohibited from being sold during the school day in competition with the school cafeteria, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Any snacks that are sold during the school day must meet the USDA’s “Smart Snack” guidelines, she added.   

The “Smart Snack” guidelines state that any food sold must be rich in whole grains, or have some kind of protein/dairy food as the first ingredient, according to the USDA (www.USDA.gov). 

Ms. Reese explained that if snacks are sold to students during the school day, then they may not eat their lunch when the time comes. 

She added that there are exemptions for fundraisers, which must be approved by the district. To do that, students present the idea to the school board, and the officials need to sign an exemption form to allow the fundraiser. The school is only allowed two to five exemptions per year, according to the USDA.  

According to Ms. Reese, these include the Mr. Sticky, Krispy Kreme, and Gertrude Hawk fundraisers. 

These rules were introduced with the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010.  

 “I’m not a fortune teller, but I find it very unlikely that the rules will change because they have been here for 13 years, and I am unaware of any movements to change it,” Ms. Reese added. 

Family Consumer Science (FCS) Teacher Mrs. Angela Davis said she maintained an “underground” snack shack for about three years, with all profits going to the National Honor Society (NHS).  

Ms. Davis said that she was aware that the distribution and selling of snacks during the school day was against the food and nutrition policies, but added that the fundraiser made more than $4,000 for NHS.  

The snack shack is still open, but only after 3 p.m. she said, and added that she does not plan to restock it.