Breakfast | Cost/Funding | Commodity Program | Competitive Foods | Dairy | Food Safety | Fruits and Vegetables | Healthy Childhood Weight/Nutrition | Nutrition Education | Program Accountability | School Lunch | Summer Feeding | Wellness
Breakfast
Growing School Breakfast Participation: New Ways to Deliver Breakfast to Students On-the-Go (pdf)
A School Nutrition Association report on ways school nutrition programs are delivering on-the-go breakfast to middle and high school students- published in 2011.
Breakfast in the Classroom
"Breakfast in the Classroom is a joint initiative of Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom (Food Research and Action Center, National Association of Elementary School Principals Foundation, National Education Association Health Information Network, and School Nutrition Foundation) and funded by the Walmart Foundation to increase breakfast consumption among schoolchildren and spark the academic and nutritional gains associated with the morning meal. "
School Breakfast Scorecard (2009-2010): (pdf)
Food Research and Action Center’s most recent annual report on the School Breakfast Program published January 2011
Breakfast for Learning - Scientific research on the link between children's nutrition and academic performance: (pdf)
The Food Research and Action Center's compilation of research on the benefits of school breakfast.
Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) Breakfast Pilot Program (pdf)
Maryland State Department of Education report on the link between breakfast and learning focusing on breakfast in the classroom and universal breakfast
Minnesota's Fast Break to Learning Breakfast Program (pdf)
Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning report showing a strong connection between school breakfast consumption and improved test scores
New York Academics & Breakfast Connection Pilot
The Academics and Breakfast Connection (ABC), a pilot project that served free breakfast to students in the classrooms of upstate New York schools, decreased hunger, absenteeism, tardiness, disciplinary referrals and the number of visits to the school nurse. From Nutrition Consortium of New York State.
Operations Survey Report
SNA report on programs, nutrition policies, customer service, marketing, budgeting and staffing. Includes breakfast participation and types of service.
Cost/Funding
Heats On: School Meals Under Financial Pressure (pdf)
SNA Report from September 2008 on school nutrition meal cost, rising food costs and funding challenges.
2006 Indirect Cost Study (pdf)
SNA survey report of over 900 school nutrition directors on indirect cost charges to school nutrition programs.
Operations Survey Report
SNA report on programs, nutrition policies, customer service, marketing, budgeting and staffing. Includes breakfast participation and types of service.
Food Costs - ADA Journal April 2008
An Empirical Analysis of and Policy Recommendations to Improve the Nutritional Quality of School Meals
A study published in the Winter 2007 issue of the Review of Agricultural Economics supported the hypothesis that indirect costs paid by school nutrition programs to school districts negatively affect meal quality.
School Lunch and Breakfast Cost Study II (pdf)
USDA report examines the cost of producing National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) meals during School Year (SY) 2005-06.
SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS: Revenue and Expense Information from Selected States (pdf)
GAO 2003
Commodity Program
White Paper on USDA Foods (Commodities) (pdf)`
December 2008 USDA white paper on commodity food program for schools.
Commodity Foods-Is it Time for Change?
Fall 2007 journal article on possible improvements to the USDA commodity program.
Competitive Foods
Factors Associated with the Offering and Sale of Competitive Foods and School Lunch Participation
Penn State University study from February 2006 JADA. The objective of this study was to identify factors that predict offering and sale of competitive foods, as well as factors that predict average daily participation in school lunch.
Foods Sold in Competition with USDA School Meal Programs
USDA report to Congress from 2001 on competitive foods sold in schools.
From Cupcakes to Carrots: Local Wellness Policies One Year Later (pdf)
September 2007 report tracks implementation progress of wellness policy topics including nutrition education, physical activity and nutrition guidelines.
Making It Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories
Six Approaches to improving improving student nutrition from USDA Team Nutrition and CDC, 2005
Changing Nutrition Standards in Schools: The Emerging Impact on School Revenue (pdf)
A systematic review of the literature, four peer-reviewed papers and 3 state-based reports were identified that assessed the impact on revenues of either targeted policy changes or overarching, district-wide changes in food-related policies, published in the Journal of School Health, April 2008
Restricting Snacks in U.S. Elementary Schools Is Associated with Higher Frequency of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
Examines whether a policy that restricts the availability of snack foods in schools is associated with greater fruit and vegetable consumption in a nationally representative sample of 5th grade children, University of South Carolina, 2008
Schoolwide Food Practices Are Associated With Body Mass Index in Middle School Students
Study from December 2005 Archives of Pediatric Medicine found a positive association between body mass index in young adolescents and schoolwide food practices such as foods used in school fundraising and in the classroom as incentives and rewards.
Dairy
School Milk: Fat Content has Decliend Dramatically Since the Early 1990's (pdf)
January 2009 report using SNDA III data shows students are drinking more fat-free and low-fat milk in school.
School Milk Pilot Test
SNA and National Dairy Council research on the effect of improvements to school milk on schools and students.
St. Louis School Milk Test (pdf)
Report on research done to improve school milk consumption through marketing and other efforts
Food Safety
School Meal Programs: Few Instances of Foodborne Outbreaks Reported, but Opportunities Exist to Enhance Outbreak Data and Food Safety Practices
Government Accountability Office report from June 2003 on food safety in schools.
Operations Survey Report
SNA report on programs, nutrition policies, customer service, marketing, budgeting and staffing. Includes data on HACCP and food safety training.
Educational Interventions Impact Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Program Implementation in Iowa Schools
Spring 2007 journal article by Jeannie Sneed, PhD, RD, SFNS, CFSP; and Daniel H. Henroid, Jr., MS, RD, CFSP
Fruits and Vegetables
Restricting Snacks in U.S. Elementary Schools Is Associated with Higher Frequency of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
Examines whether a policy that restricts the availability of snack foods in schools is associated with greater fruit and vegetable consumption in a nationally representative sample of 5th grade children, University of South Carolina, 2008
2004 School Fruit and Vegetable Procurement Study (pdf)
SNA fruit and vegetable procurement in the open market vs the commodity program, participation in the DOD Fresh program, and much more.
Evaluation of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program (pdf)
USDA Economic Research Service report to Congress 2003
Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Through the USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs (pdf)
USDA report from 2008 cover fruits and vegetable availability in school nutrition programs.
School Lunch Salad Bars (pdf)
USDA report from 2002 on prevalence of salad bars in schools.
Healthy Childhood Weight/Nutrition
Dietary Quality of Children by School Lunch Participation Status (pdf)
Fall 2008 research by USDA Economic Research Service found that school lunches consumed by participating students were more nutrient dense than lunches brought from home. School lunch participants tended to consume higher amounts of milk, meat, and beans.
The Effect of School on Overweight in Childhood
Study from American Journal of Public Health, 2007 points to weight gain in children during summer when they are not in school.
Lower Risk of Overweight in School-aged Food Insecure Girls Who Participate in Food Assistance
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 2003 article concluded that food assistance programs like the NSLP play a protective role for low-income children's health.
Nutrition Education
Behavioral Economic Concepts to Encourage Healthy Eating in School Cafeterias: Experiments and Lessons from College Students
Economic Research Service/USDA report from December 2008, that offers several suggestions from the college foodservice environment that might promote healthy eating behaviors among high school students.
USDA Provides Services through Multiple Programs, but Stronger Linkages among Efforts Are Needed (pdf)
Government Accountability Office report from 2004 on USDA nutrition education efforts
Program Accountability
Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification (APEC) (pdf)
USDA study from 2007 on the amounts and rates of erroneous payments in the NSLP and SBP.
Implementing Direct Certification
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report from 2006 on automatic enrollment in school nutrition programs
School Lunch
Dietary Quality of Children by School Lunch Participation Status (pdf)
Fall 2008 research by USDA Economic Research Service found that school lunches consumed by participating students were more nutrient dense than lunches brought from home. School lunch participants tended to consume higher amounts of milk, meat, and beans.
Nutrition Standards and Meal Requirements for National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs
Institute of Medicine Phase I Proposed Approach for Recommending Revisions.
Nutritional Quality of Reimbursable School Meals Compared to Lunches Brought from Home (pdf)
Article from Spring 2001 issue of Journal of Child Nutrition and Management by Dr. Alice Jo Rainville
Recess Before Lunch
Montana Office of Public Instruction research and resources on the value of having recess before lunch
Saved by the Lunch Bell: As Economy Sinks, School Nutrition Program Participation Rises (pdf)
December 2008 report
How Long Does it Take Students to Eat Lunch?
Article from Spring 2002 issue of Journal of Child Nutrition and Management by Dr. Martha Conklin
School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study—III (pdf)
(SNDA III) USDA study on school lunch and breakfast program operations from 2007
SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM: Efforts Needed to Improve Nutrition and Encourage Healthy Eating(pdf)
GAO 2003
Summer Feeding
Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation (pdf)
Report from 2008 by Food Research and Action Center on summer feeding programs
USDA's Simplified Summer Food Service Program 2001-2006 (pdf)
Report to Congress from 2007 on simplified summer feeding
Wellness
Well Done! School Nutrition Professionals Put Wellness Policies to Work
Spring 2008 publication from the School Nutrition Association provides inspiration and practical ideas for all in the school community who are committed to fostering healthy eating habits in children
From Cupcakes to Carrots: Local Wellness Policies One Year Later (in Adobe Acrobat format)
September 2007 report tracks implementation progress of wellness policy topics including nutrition education, physical activity and nutrition guidelines.
Foundation for the Future: Analysis of Local Wellness Policies from the 100 Largest School Districts (in Adobe Acrobat format)
On October 10, 2006, SNA released a report summarizing the characteristics of the wellness policies approved by the 100 largest school districts by enrollment.
Foundation for the Future II: Analysis of Local Wellness Policies from 140 School Districts in 49 States (in Adobe Acrobat format)
The above report was followed by a second report released in December 2006 examining wellness policies approved by a wide variety of school districts in 49 states.
The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity (pdf)
Study from January 2009 shows a connection between proximity of fast food restaurants to schools and increased overweight among students.
School lunch and snacking patterns among high school students: Associations with school food environment and policies
Students at schools with open campus policies during lunchtime were significantly more likely to eat lunch at a fast food restaurant than students at schools with closed campus policies - 2005 report from University of Minnesota
US secondary schools and food outlets
One-third of schools nationwide have at least one fast food restaurant or convenience store within walking distance, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2007