School Board Declares Truce in 'Cupcake Wars'

The cupcake wars will not be fought in Hillsborough.

The Board of Education is working on a way to make sure that parents know that .

Board member Lorraine Soisson said at Monday’s board meeting that the state’s nutrition policy, which mandates fat and sugar content of food served in school, is not applicable to food offered either as part of the curriculum or for celebrations, such as birthdays.

Soisson said many parents misunderstood the state policy and thought that it forbade snacks like cupcakes. She said the state only prohibits “minimally nutritious” foods such as Italian ices, soda water, chewing gum and hard candy.

Cupcakes and brownies would be allowed because of their dairy content, she said.

Board president Thomas Kinst said the only change the district can make to the state policy is to make it “more restrictive,” a move board members found distasteful.

“We’re not in favor of that,” Kinst said.

Kinst said that parents who are planning to send food to school with their children to share should check with the teacher in advance and submit the ingredients so that children with allergies could bring in a substitute.