By Nina Mandell
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
Hold the chocolate brownies, but pour on the nacho cheese.
That's what city education officials seem to want to tell parents and students as they look to amend a nine-month ban on bakesales that would allow children to sell Doritos and Pop-Tarts, but not homemade brownies.
A city panel was set to vote Wednesday evening on the amendment that would allow students to sell commercially-packaged items to raise money — like chips and Toll House cookies — during the school day.
The amendment is backed by officials who argue that it's a lot easier to track the nutritional value of commercial goods than it is a homemade cupcake or cookie made by sugar-pouring moms and dads.
Kathleen Grimm, the deputy chancellor of infrastructure and portfolio planning who oversees the regulation, told the New York Times it was more difficult to track the nutritional value of homemade items.
But on the list of items that could be sold at bakesales if the amendment is passed are Doritos: Cool Ranch Reduced Fat and Spicy Sweet Chili, Pop-Tarts and Linden’s cookies, according to the Times.
Many of the packaged treats are somewhat healthier than a homemade counterpart. Reduced Fat Cool Ranch Doritos contain 130 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving. Homemade brownies pack 140 to 230 calories and 7 to 12 grams of fat per treat.
A serving of brown sugar Pop-Tarts, which could make the approved list, aren't so healthy with 210 calories a serving which is the same or more than a chocolate chip cookie baked by mom or dad.
Nine months ago, the city banned bake sales in schools and decreed that only fresh fruit and vegetables and other sanctioned healthy items could be sold during the school day.
The amendment, if passed Wednesday, would be the first chink in that rule.
