No more bake sales or birthday cupcakes? SLO County schools tighten food rules
Cupcakes and pizza parties used to be go-to motivators for kids studying in San Luis Obispo County classrooms — but some local districts are now limiting what types of food can be brought into classrooms and how those snacks can be used.
Local districts are required by law to have wellness policies, which outline nutritional goals and guidance for foods served on campus, according to the California Department of Education. The policies must be reviewed and updated periodically.
Changes to those policies have now extended beyond what served for lunch in the school cafeteria to the treats parents can bring to the classroom.
The Tribune reviewed wellness policies in five local districts to compare how food is regulated in classrooms and cafeterias — and some districts have more limitations than others.
Some schools ban homemade food for classroom parties
Wellness policies vary from district to district.
For example, the Paso Robles and Lucia Mar districts no longer permit parents or teachers to bring in homemade snacks for a classroom of students. That prohibits handmade snacks that could previously be brought in for birthdays or special occasions.
Any food that is served for student celebrations must meet state and federal nutrition standards, the district policies say.
Similarly, Templeton requires that food for its classroom parties be store-bought with an ingredients list. The food also must be pre-approved by a teacher before being delivered to the classroom.
In contrast, the San Luis Coastal wellness policy encourages parents to follow federal and state nutrition standards when donating snacks for class parties, but there’s no requirement to do so. The district instead says parents should limit items not meeting state or federal standards to one food or beverage per student.
Teachers, however, are required to meet nutrition standards when bringing in food for their class.
Atascadero also encourages its parents to follow nutrition standards when selecting snacks to donate for classroom parties, but it does not make that a requirement. The district also discourages using unhealthy food as a reward.
Most district policies encourage staff and parent groups to serve non-food or healthy food items at fundraisers, and suggests the use of non-food items for classroom rewards.
Districts with stricter rules offer some alternatives
Just because some districts have stricter food rules doesn’t mean they want to discourage classroom fun or family involvement.
Jessie Wesch, food services director for Paso Robles, told The Tribune she is often labeled as the “food police,” which she finds hurtful.
“I don’t make these rules,” she said. “It is my job to help encourage healthy eating habits at a young age, expose our students to a variety of cuisines and produce, and make sure they are ready to learn after eating a nutritious (and tasty) meal.”
Wesch said it’s a “wonderful thing” when families bring in snacks for their student’s classroom — but it can also exclude students with certain dietary restrictions, allergies, beliefs or preferences.
“By recommending to our families non-food items to celebrate, this becomes inclusive of all,” she said. “We also recommend other ways to celebrate, such as ‘line leader,’ pick out a favorite book to share, ‘teacher helper’ for the day, or other creative non-food items.”
Meanwhile, teachers and principals in the Lucia Mar district can work with the food services team to bring compliant pizza parties or barbecues with hamburgers and hotdogs to their classrooms for special occasions, district spokesperson Amy Jacobs told The Tribune.
The district also offers snacks that meet nutritional guidelines, including cookies and ice cream bars.
Food service catering was also something the Paso Robles district was working toward, but Wesch said the rules are tricky.
“We have a lot of requirements for what we can serve in our meal programs, and typically, outside pizza companies don’t fit those requirements,” she wrote to The Tribune in an email. “We are working on ways to offer a school-compliant pizza for celebrations, but there are also rules for using food as a reward, which we cannot do. We can promote fruit and vegetables and have 100% fruit popsicles when it is hot or for a special occasion, which can be included with lunch or after-school snack.”
This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
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