Feds label ‘Hot Cheetos’ as ‘smart snack’ in schools

When you want your children to have healthful snacks you may give them some apple slices or some berries but what about hot cheetos?

In the eyes of the federal government, hot cheetos are now a smart snack for your children.

The Obama administration rolled out new guidelines last year to make sure children ate more healthful snacks at school.

So Frito Lay just released a new version of their wildly popular hot cheetos with less fat and salt and more whole grains.

Because of the change, Hot Cheetos are now in the “smart snacks” category allowed in schools.

“It becomes a habit and the brain craves it, just wants it, we taught it but the good thing is we can reprogram it but the more we do it when we’re young the harder it is to break that habit later on and for some it may be too late,” said Adriana Rascon, a Registered Dietitian in El Paso.

She said it may be a better version but the new Hot Cheetos are still processed and keep children away from things they need, like fruits.

“If it has colorings, artificial flavorings, words you cannot even pronounce chances it’s not healthful.”

Spokespersons for various school districts said they’d check if Hot Cheetos were available in their campuses.

Shane Griffith, Spokesman for Canutillo ISD, said they follow federal guidelines so Hot Cheetos are technically allowed but the district has banned them.

“Everything we serve not only meets but exceeds the nutritional requirements that the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires for school districts across the country. We actually take it very seriously and go above and beyond” he said.