New Report Shows Improvement in Nutrition Programs Within School Districts

Results of the survey which was conducted in the spring of 2007 with 1,200 foodservice directors from districts in 49 states show, for instance, that more than 87% of school districts are following federal dietary guidelines and have nutrition requirements for the foods and beverages sold by school foodservice, up 30% from 2005.  The report also found that a majority of schools offer fat-free or low-fat milk (97%), fresh fruits and vegetables (96%), salad bars or pre-packaged salads (88%), yogurt and yogurt drinks (81%), from-scratch baked items (63%) and vegetarian meals (52%).  Moreover, there has also been an increase of 32% in the availability of locally grown fruits and vegetables. 

According to the report, many of the positive changes seen in school districts’ nutrition programs are due in part to the implementation of local wellness policies this past school year.  The report also found that formal policies are in place in more than eight of every ten districts on: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP); use of foodservice facility by groups other than foodservice; nutritional requirements of foods/beverages sold by school foodservice; procurement policies and bid practices; crisis management plan/emergency preparedness plan; food safety; and time of day certain foods/beverages can be sold. 

The report details demographic and operational parameters, programs and policies, breakfast and lunch service types, food safety measures, foodservice budget issues, marketing and customer service as well as pressing concerns such as funding, which was cited as the most pressing concern nationwide. Childhood overweight, the cost of food/food preparation and the implementation of local wellness policies were seen as the other most pressing issues. 

Additionally, the report reveals a significant decline in the offering of branded fast food and a decline in open-campus lunch programs.  Also, nine out of ten schools districts involve students in taste testing at least some of their new menu items.  And breakfast is available in 96% of districts, with traditional cafeteria style, a la carte service, breakfast-in-a-bag and classroom service being the most prevalent service styles reported. 

Report on Breakfast Participation Rates in Big Cities Not as Optimistic

A new report released by the Food Research and Action Center, “Breakfast in America’s Big Cities,” paints a more negative picture of breakfast participation.  Results of the survey of 23 large school districts show that breakfast participation rates in some of America’s largest cities, including Chicago, Denver, and New York, badly lag the national average, and nearly half of the urban districts surveyed fail to provide breakfast on a daily basis to a majority of their low-income students.  According to the report, numerous studies have shown that eating breakfast improves learning and attendance, reduces behavior problems, decreases visits to the school nurse, and improves children’s diets and helps build healthy habits.

The report reveals that there are a number of barriers to student participation, but that the vast majority of districts found that time was a factor.  The survey found that effective strategies to increase student participation include universal breakfast, where all children can eat regardless of social status, “grab and go” breakfast from carts in the hallway, and breakfast in the classroom. 

To read this report, please visit http://www.frac.org/pdf/urbanbreakfast07.pdf. To learn more about the report, please contact:

Food Research and Action Center

1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 540

Washington, DC 20009

Phone: (202) 986-2200

Fax: (202) 986-2525

The State of School Nutrition 2007 can be ordered at http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Index.aspx?id=55.  For additional information, please contact:

School Nutrition Association

700 South Washington Street, Suite 300

Alexandria, VA 22314

Phone: (703) 739-3900

Fax: (703) 739-3915

Email: servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org

Source: “School Nutrition Association Finds Districts Increasing Healthy Options, “State of School Nutrition 2007” survey of 1,200 foodservice directors released today,” School Nutrition Association Press Release, August 7, 2007, and “Back-to-School Time Approaching, but Breakfast Not on the Schedule for Many Students,” FRAC Press Release, August 7, 2007.