Comparison of home-prepared and school prepared lunches and parental opinions on school lunch policy in elementary schools

Currently, there is concern that national policies do not ensure that school lunches are in agreement with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Thus, the purpose of this research was twofold: 1) to assess parental opinions about the current school lunch program as well as a program which would provide universal access to school lunch and 2) to compare. the nutrient content of home-packed lunches, school lunches as selected by students, school lunches as offered by schools, and "heart-healthy" menus which are designed to address current dietary recommendations.

Using standard survey techniques, we surveyed 532 parents of third grade students in four elementary schools in a metropolitan school system for their opinions on school lunch policy. To complete nutritional analysis, we used a variation of the photographic method to photograph 50 student lunches and thus estimate foods and portion sizes. Food item and portion size data for school lunches as offered were obtained from the School Food Service Director.

We found that those parents from a lower-income area were supportive of a lunch program which would provide universal access, while those from a higher-income area were not supportive of such a program. Across both socioeconomic areas, parents were unsure of the nutritional quality provided by school lunches.

In terms of nutritional analysis of lunches, we found that of the lunches studied, the "heart-healthy" lunch menus most closely conform to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Overall, school lunches as selected by students and home-prepared lunches were of poorer nutritional quality than either type of school lunch as offered by schools.

Our results indicate that: 1) parents lack information about the school lunch program and about healthy meal planning; and 2) students are not adequately prepared to make appropriate nutritional decisions in the lunch line. Educational programming by nutrition professionals for parents and students is thus necessary to improve the nutritional health of children.