What is the best snack to have at the school snack bar? As long as it has whole grain, reduced fat, and many other illogical restrictions, of course you can have it! (Of course, except for cookies.)

According to the USDA’s school snack guide, all snacks being sold at the school snack bar that have extra ingredients, such as butter and cream cheese, can’t have more than 200 calories per serving, and the fat in these snacks cannot make up more than 35% of the total calorie count. On top of this, only 35% or less of the weight in any snack food may come from sugar.

With all these regulations, we might as well bring our own snacks to school. So why even have all these restrictions?

Nonnewaug junior Selma Dedovic wishes the snack bar would sell regular snacks, such as Funyuns.

“I just wish the snack bar had Funyuns, but not the fat-free kind – just the regular kind, you know,” Dedovic said. 

Many students think the snack bar can serve better snacks.

“I wish there was Nutella Uncrustables,” Nonnewaug freshman Cassidy O’Hayre said.

“There’s not a lot of options,” Nonnewaug freshman Sophia Kallianiotis said.

“Snacks aren’t very appealing,” Nonnewaug junior Charlotte Yakavonis said.

“[The school is] too busy sourcing alternatives of what kids actually want but they’re not as good,” said James Assard, a senior. “They should give us more drink options.”

If it were up to Costa Lefkimiatis, the Nonnewaug cafeteria manager, he’d incorporate all of these students’ feedback. However, they have to abide by many regulations, none of which are Nonnewaug staff’s fault.

“If it was strictly up to the us, we would like to bring hot chocolate back in the winter time,” said Lefkimiatis, who added that if he had his choice, he would like to reintroduce Gatorade and regular Doritos.