The perception of school food-service professionals on the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010: a mixed-methods study

AbstractObjectiveTo: (i) understand the nutrition attitudes, self-efficacy, knowledge and practices of school food-service personnel (SFP) in Nebraska and (ii) identify potential barriers that schools face in offering healthy school meals that meet the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition standards.DesignConvergent parallel mixed-methods study.SettingKindergarten–12th grade schools in Nebraska, USA.ParticipantsSFP (260 survey participants; fifteen focus group participants) working at schools that participate in the USDA National School Lunch Program.ResultsMixed-methods themes identified include: (i) ‘Mixed attitudes towards healthy meals’, which captured a variety of conflicting positive and negative attitudes depending on the situation; (ii) ‘Positive practices to promote healthy meals’, which captured offering, serving and promotion practices; (iii) ‘Mixed nutrition-related knowledge’, which captured the variations in knowledge depending on the nutrition concept; and (iv) ‘Complex barriers’, which captured challenges with time, support and communication.ConclusionsThe study produced relevant findings to address the barriers identified by SFP. Implementing multicomponent interventions and providing training to SFP may help reduce some of the identified barriers of SFP.

Download Full-text

Tracing Temperature Patterns of Cut Leafy Greens during Service in North Carolina School Food Service

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-14-121 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 77 (9) ◽

pp. 1495-1500 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ELLEN M. THOMAS ◽

BENJAMIN CHAPMAN ◽

LEE-ANN JAYKUS ◽

TREVOR PHISTER

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

Food Service ◽

School Lunch ◽

School Food ◽

Leafy Greens ◽

School Food Service ◽

The North ◽

North Carolina School ◽

School Lunch Programs ◽

Lunch Program

Contaminated fresh produce has been increasingly identified as a cause of foodborne illnesses. Because of concerns about pathogen growth on these food items at retail, the 2009 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Code established that cut leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, spring mix, cabbage, arugula, and kale) must have time and temperature controls for safety and hence should be kept at refrigerated temperatures (5°C or lower). The purpose of this study was to determine the temperature profiles of cut leafy greens in single-serving clamshell containers provided as part of the North Carolina School Lunch Program and to compare the two policies that North Carolina has in place to control the temperature of these products (the 3-day rule and time in lieu of temperature). Temperatures were recorded with data loggers in 24 schools during a 3-day period. In all cases, substantial temperature variability was found for these products, including temperatures above 5°C for at least 1 h on each of the 3 days. In some cases, temperatures reached above 5°C for more than 3 h throughout the serving time. The results demonstrate the importance of developing a protocol for continuous temperature monitoring of leafy greens served in school lunch programs.

Download Full-text

How the Catch Eat Smart Program Helps Implement the USDA Regulations in School Cafeterias

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/1090198103253517 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 434-446 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Deanna M. Hoelscher ◽

Paul Mitchell ◽

Johanna Dwyer ◽

John Elder ◽

Ann Clesi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Guideline Implementation ◽

Food Service ◽

School Lunch ◽

School Food ◽

Main Trial ◽

School Food Service ◽

Lunch Program ◽

School Cafeterias

This article describes the implementation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards in school lunch menus in 56 intervention and 20 control schools from the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) 5 years after the main trial, compared with 12 schools previously unexposed to CATCH. School food service personnel completed questionnaires to assess CATCH guideline implementation, demographic data, behavioral constructs, training, program material use, and par ticipation in competing programs. Five days of menus and recipes were collected from school cafeteria staff, averaged, and compared to USDA School Meal Initiative (SMI) standards. Significant differences between intervention and unexposed schools were found for training and knowledge of CATCH and in mean percentage energy from fat and carbohydrates. Intervention schools most closely met USDA SMI recommendations for fat. Thus, the CATCH Eat Smart Program assisted school cafeterias in meeting USDA guidelines 5 years postimplementation.

Download Full-text

Dedication, innovation, and collaboration: A mixed-methods analysis of school meals in Connecticut during COVID-19

Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development ◽

10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.020 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

Katherine Connolly ◽

Molly Babbin ◽

Sarah McKee ◽

Kevin McGinn ◽

Juliana Cohen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Food Service ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Participation Rates ◽

School Meals ◽

School Food ◽

School Closures ◽

School Food Service ◽

Road Map ◽

Meal Programs

When school buildings across the U.S. closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many school districts mobilized to establish emergency school meal programs to operate outside the setting of school cafeterias. The aim of this convergent mixed-methods study is to (a) examine the structure and rates of participation in the spring 2020 meal programs in Connecticut, and (b) obtain insight about the challenges, strategies used, and lessons learned during this time by food service leaders. We obtained quantitative data from the Connecticut State Department of Education and district websites, and qualitative data from nine one-hour interviews with school food service leaders. Although the National School Lunch Program provides meals at standard price, reduced-price, or no cost based on student household income, all emergency meals during spring 2020 were provided at no cost following the school closures resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. The average number of meals distributed from March to May 2020 was significantly lower than the overall participation rates (i.e., paid, free, and reduced-price meals combined) prior to COVID-19. However, participation rates in April and May 2020 approached those of free and reduced-price meal participation a year earlier. Four key action themes emerged from the interviews: (1) tailor the program to community needs and resources; (2) identify strategies to facilitate participation; (3) develop partnerships to coordinate school, municipal, and community efforts; and (4) establish programs that encourage resiliency. The interviewees also saw this event as an opportunity to improve the perception of school meals. Innovations developed during the spring 2020 school building closures provide a road map for best practices for the 2020–2021 school year and beyond.

Download Full-text

Students’ and Instructors’ Understandings, Attitudes and Beliefs about Educational Theories: Results of a Mixed-Methods Study

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci11050197 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 197

Author(s):

Stefan T. Siegel ◽

Martin Daumiller

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Attitudes And Beliefs ◽

Abstract Concepts ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Self Reflection ◽

Educational Theories ◽

Practical Implications ◽

Constitutive Element ◽

Educational Studies

(1) Background: Educational theories are a constitutive element of educational studies. Despite their theoretical relevance, little is still known about students’ and instructors’ understandings of educational theories and their theory-related attitudes and beliefs. (2) Methods: To elucidate these constructs and to test their relevance, we conducted a mixed-methods study with 32 students and 12 instructors of educational studies at a German university. (3) Results: We found that both groups perceived educational theories as rather abstract concepts. Students reported rather negative attitudes and naive beliefs. For both groups, we found that attitudes and beliefs were strongly tied to motivational and affective aspects when dealing with educational theories, which stresses their relevance for educational studies. (4) Conclusions: We suggest a systematic theoretical clarification of the term educational theories. Furthermore, consideration of students’ and instructors’ theory-related attitudes and beliefs can give rise to meaningful practical implications (e.g., through self-reflection).

Download Full-text