Health and Wellness Policy
Healthy Classroom Parties/Celebrations
In accordance with federal and local wellness guidelines, Meridian Public Charter
School has adopted the following policy in regard to classroom parties/celebrations:
Celebrations that involve food during the school day will be limited to no more
than one party per class per month.
Teachers will maintain a monthly sign-up roster for parents/guardians to
indicate if they plan to participate in the party/celebration, and also indicate
what item they will sponsor. Classroom parties and celebrations will be held on
the first Friday of each month, provided school is in session. In the event that
school is cancelled on the first Friday of the month, celebrations will be moved
to the second Friday of the month.
Each party will include no more than one food or beverage that does not meet
nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually. This includes
items for an entire class – birthday cakes; ice cream; fruit drinks; cookies;
brownies; muffins; doughnuts; and other items that contain sugar or high
fructose corn syrup. Once a parent/guardian has signed off that they choose to
bring one of the items mentioned above, the remaining edible items must fall
under the federal standards of acceptable food and beverages. (Please see
examples of suggested beverages and snacks below).
Examples of beverages that are deemed as acceptable include – Aquafina
Water; Arrowhead Sparkling Mountain Spring Water with Fruit Essence;
Arrowhead Water; Campbell’s Tomato Juice; Dasani Water; Dole Pineapple
Juice; Soy Milk (chocolate or vanilla); Juicy Juice (apple, berry, grape, punch);
Milk (1% and fat-free, unflavored and flavored (chocolate); Minute Maid Orange
Juice and 100% Juice Blends (orange cranberry; orange passion; orange
strawberry banana; orange tangerine); Motts Apple Juice; Pellegrino Sparkling
Accredited by Commission on Elementary Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
1328 Florida Avenue, NW • Washington, DC 20009 • O: (202) 387-9830 • F: (202) 387-7605 • www.meridian-dc.org
Water; Perrier Sparkling Water; Propel; Tropicana Juice (apple and grape); V8
(100% vegetable juice); Veryfine Fruit Juice (grape, white grapefruit, apple,
orange); Welch’s Grape Juice.
Examples of snacks that are deemed as acceptable include – Barbara’s Granola
Bars (cinnamon raisin; oats and honey, carob chip); Barbara’s Mulitgrain Cereal
Bar (cherry; strawberry; apple cinnamon; blueberry; raspberry; triple berry);
Barbara’s Snackimals; Chex Mix (traditional); Cliff Bar (apricot, black cherry
almond, carrot cake, chocolate chip, cool mint chocolate, cranberry apple cherry,
lemon poppyseed, chocolate almond fudge, cookies and crème, chocolate
brownie); Dannon Light & Fit Non-Fat Creamy Yogurt; Dole Fruit Bowls;
Envirokidz Crispy Rice Bar; Fresh Fruit; Fresh Vegetables; Frito Lay Baked
Doritos; Frito Lay Baked Lays; Frito Lay Bakes Ruffles; Frito Lay Baked Tostitos;
Frito Lay Rold Gold (classic sticks, classic tiny twists, classic honey mustard tiny
twists, classic cheddar); Frunola Energy Bars; Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Cereal Bar;
Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Twists; Kettle Krisps; Kettle Valley 100% Fruit Bars;
Kirkland Low Fat Yogurt; Kirkland’s Trail Mix; Luna Bars (sesame raisin
crunch); Mott’s Applesauce Individual Cups (natural, original); Nature Valley
Crunch Granola Bars; Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars; Pita Snax; Robert’s
American Gourmet; Snyder’s of Hanover (home-style, thin pretzels, mini
pretzels, butter snaps).
Suggestions for healthy party snacks:
Nourishing Party Nibbles
Low fat vegetable sticks like crisp celery and carrot served with an avocado dip
(simply blend mashed avocado with lime juice) or a ready- made reduced fat dip
make the best nibbles instead of fat-loaded crisps and snack foods.
Sweet Fruit Party Treats
Bursting with natural sweetness, color and goodness, fresh fruit is the healthiest
party food for kids. The important point is to make the fruit look appealing to
kids. As it’s a time for celebration, the addition of a little chocolate or eyecatching topping adds a ‘special’ touch to the occasion and enhances its appeal.
Accredited by Commission on Elementary Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
1328 Florida Avenue, NW • Washington, DC 20009 • O: (202) 387-9830 • F: (202) 387-7605 • www.meridian-dc.org
Colorful fresh fruit platter
Kids prefer their fruit cut and ready eat. Arrange a colorful selection of fruit on a
large platter for a kids’ party at any age. Add a Caramel dip for older children to
dunk the fruit.
The following fruits are perfect for platters;
Watermelon and rock melon wedges
Peeled pineapple wedges
Whole hulled strawberries
Small bunches of seedless grapes
Cherries (for older children)
Gold and yellow kiwifruit wedges
Cool Party Choices
Finger sandwiches are the perfect party food for kids of all ages; simple to make
and easy for kids to eat. Include a fresh vegetable or use nutritious avocado in
the filling and use wholegrain or whole wheat bread.
Try these simple sandwich filling combinations;
Lettuce and cheese slices
Ham, tomato and cheese
Avocado and shaved ham
Warm Veggie Choices
Freshly-baked pizzas with vegetables or pineapple in the topping are always
popular party foods for boys and girls of all ages.
For mini pizzas, use round or shaped cutters to cut shapes into ready-made pizza
bases. Girls like heart-shaped pizzas while boys often go for star-shaped ones.
Use fresh pineapple, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced button mushrooms with
diced lean bacon and reduced fat cheese like grated mozzarella for the topping.
Birthday Cupcakes
Kids love to eat little cupcakes. They look terrific arranged on a cake stand and
they’re the ideal size for kids to pick up with their hands which minimizes the
need for plates and spoons
Accredited by Commission on Elementary Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
1328 Florida Avenue, NW • Washington, DC 20009 • O: (202) 387-9830 • F: (202) 387-7605 • www.meridian-dc.org
Healthy options
Whip up a batch of Banana cupcakes or use freshly-grated carrot to make little
carrot cupcakes. If you prefer to use a packet cupcake mixture, add a few
handfuls of fresh blueberries to a basic vanilla cupcake recipe.
Transform cupcakes by topping with reduced fat cream cheese icing and use
colorful fresh fruits for decoration. If you’re making the cakes in advance,
decorate the cakes with the fruit just before serving.
For dynamic little boys, use blueberries, whole cherries and seedless grapes, and
for little girls use halved strawberries to make appealing strawberry-winged
butterfly cakes.
The items mentioned above represent a suggested list of items. Please speak
directly to a classroom teacher, instructional assistant, staff member, or
administrator for clarification on food and beverage items that can be included
as part of a classroom party/celebration.
In addition, feel free to speak to your child’s Classroom Teacher or
Instructional Assistant to gather ideas on classroom parties that don’t involve
food.
Accredited by Commission on Elementary Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
1328 Florida Avenue, NW • Washington, DC 20009 • O: (202) 387-9830 • F: (202) 387-7605 • www.meridian-dc.org