Arizona Healthy Schools Act Requirements for 2026–2027
August 3, 2026
Dear Team FUSD,
Beginning this school year, Arizona's Healthy Schools Act (House Bill 2164) establishes new requirements regarding foods that may be served, sold, or distributed to students during the regular school day. The Arizona Healthy Schools Act is intended to support healthier school food environments by limiting students' exposure to specific food additives during the school day. Schools across Arizona are required to comply with the law beginning in the 2026–27 school year and will certify their compliance with the Arizona Department of Education.
To ensure districtwide compliance, all schools and departments should be aware that foods containing the restricted additives may not be distributed to students during the school day through:
Classroom celebrations and birthday parties
Incentives or rewards
School events held during the instructional day
Fundraisers
School stores or snack bars
Vending machines
Students sharing, selling, or distributing food brought from home to classmates during the school day
Visitors, volunteers, and outside organizations dropping off food for students (parents/guardians may bring lunch for their own child, but not for their child's friends)
Any other food shared or provided to students on campus during the regular school day
The restricted additives include:
Potassium bromate
Propylparaben
Titanium dioxide
Brominated vegetable oil
Yellow Dye 5 and Yellow Dye 6
Blue Dye 1 and Blue Dye 2
Green Dye 3
Red Dye 3 and Red Dye 40
Please note that students may continue to bring food from home for their own personal consumption. However, those items may not be shared with classmates if they contain any of the prohibited additives.
As you plan classroom celebrations, student rewards, or school events, please ensure any food provided complies with the Healthy Schools Act. We encourage schools to consider non-food celebrations and rewards whenever appropriate.
To help make implementation as simple as possible, we've included several resources with this email:
Healthy Schools Act One-Pager Reference – A one-page guide you can print and keep in your classroom or office for easy reference throughout the year.
Birthday Snack Request Form – For families requesting to provide birthday treats.
Classroom Snack Request Form – For classroom events or activities involving food.
Approved Snack List – A list of snack options that meet the requirements of the Healthy Schools Act.
Please also review the attached Arizona Healthy Schools Act flyer for additional information.
Thank you for your partnership in helping FUSD comply with state law while supporting the health and well-being of our students. If you have questions about the Healthy Schools Act or approved food items, please contact your school administrator or Food and Nutrition Services.