School lunch and candy sales aren’t the same anymore. Federal guidelines passed throughout the country have changed the way students eat at lunch, creating lower calorie, sugar, and sodium counts for student consumption.

The newest change is that snack foods in the cafeteria cannot exceed 200 calories. Some exceptions, like peanuts, are allowed because they are healthy and high in protein. There also has to be fewer than 200 grams of sodium in students’ snack food.

Nutrition mandates are also extended outside of the cafeteria.  This year, school activities can only sell candy for 36 days. Since there are 36 weeks in the school year, the students are allowed to sell candy every Friday between 7:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. During the week, candy can only be sold after 3:30 p.m. Most of the time the students will have to sell their candy at their own time.

Mr. Tony Pecucci, Director of Student Activities and Community Outreach, said “There is a federal mandate that basically says that there are 36 nonconsecutive days throughout the school year where you can sell candy.”

As these guidelines progress over the years, the candy sales will decrease to only 18 days in the next year. Candy, then, will be sold every other Friday. The amount of days students can sell candy lessens every year. In about two years, the number of days students can sell candy will decrease to about nine days and much less after that.