The federal government has prescribed nutritional requirements for school meals since the authorization of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in 1946. Such requirements have changed throughout the course of history. Current law requires the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe "minimum nutritional requirements" based on…

The federal government has prescribed nutritional requirements for school meals since the authorization of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in 1946. Such requirements have changed throughout the course of history. Current law requires the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe "minimum nutritional requirements" based on…

Building on the achievements of the programs of the African Union Commission on school nutrition on the one hand, and striving to achieve the quality standards approved by the United Nations included in the program "Changing the education", and through a review of the health and nutrition literature, using a content analysis guide to…

Purpose/Objectives: The average Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI) score for children 2-17 years is 53.9/100, which needs improvement. HEI scores for dietary quality (DQ) directly and positively impact children's health, academic performance, and their future. Because school Child Nutrition Programs impact a large proportion of U.S. children, it is…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released an update to the nutrition standards schools must meet in the breakfasts and lunches served to more than 30 million children. The last time USDA fully updated school meal standards was in 2012. Research on the impact of those changes found that the nutritional quality of school meals…

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the impact of a novel multicomponent nutrition education program (United for Healthier Kids; U4HK) on the diet consumed during school lunch among preschool children. Methods: The program comprised four tools: hero plates, hero content, hero menus, and hero books and stickers. The program was implemented for 16…

Background: The National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs reduce food insecurity and improve dietary intake. During the COVID-19 pandemic, school meals were provided to all children at no cost, regardless of income. This policy is known as Healthy School Meals For All (HSMFA). The purpose of the study was to examine the feasibility of a…

Background: Schools are a promising site for influencing the dietary intake of children and adolescents. The US Department of Agriculture recently released flexibilities to requirements for whole-grains, sodium, and low-fat milk in schools who demonstrated difficulty meeting nutrition standards for school meal programs. The support of School…

Evidence suggests that a free school meal can improve children and adolescent diet, social environment, concentration, and school performance. This study aimed to investigate possible effects of a free, healthy school meal among students that usually eat packed meals on behavioral issues, inactiveness, self-efficacy, school enjoyment and classroom…

Purpose/Objectives: School lunch meals often provide students with the majority of daily calories and prime opportunities to develop healthful eating habits. Plant-based entrées may increase variety of foods served and appeal to students, but may not appear frequently on school menus. A Washington, D.C.-based school partnered with local…

Background: Salad bars are placed in schools to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among students. This study assessed differences in school nutrition practices and perceptions in schools with and without salad bars. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were completed by school nutrition managers (N = 648) in Arizona schools participating in the…

Through reinforcement of policies and nutrition standards linked to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), school environments play an important role in preventing childhood obesity. The NSLP includes mandated nutrition standards that specify recommended servings of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, dairy and protein, as well as limits on…

New policies should be informed by evidence regarding what has been shown to 'work' elsewhere. However, in many cases, there is limited evidence to inform decision-making. Embedding evaluations into the roll-out of new policy initiatives offers a useful means of examining whether policies achieve their intended outcomes and building the evidence…

Purpose/Objectives: The purposes of this study were to: 1) analyze beverage selections of elementary students consuming National School Lunch Program meals (NSLP) and lunches brought from home (LBFH), 2) compare overall meal quality (MQ) of NSLP and LBFH by food components using Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI-2010), and 3) investigate the impact…

This Conversation Currents features Chef Kevin Gillespie, owner of Atlanta restaurant Gunshow, contestant on Bravo's "Top Chef Las Vegas" in 2009, and food activist for various organizations. He shares his journey to becoming a chef, ways to integrate healthy foods in schools, and the role of literacy in nutrition.