Adequacy of nutrients in the school lunch program - Vitamins and Minerals - Brief Article

Nutrition Research Newsletter, Oct, 2001

Since Congress enacted the offer vs. serve condition in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), many schools have implemented the option as a means of increasing participation and decreasing waste. While the approach has been effective in reducing plate waste, concerns have arisen as to whether elementary students could consume the right of amount of nutrients and select food items properly. Some studies have shown that students selected pasta/rice and dessert, whereas vegetables were the items rarely chosen with offer vs. serve.

A current study investigated food choice and evaluated the nutrient consumption of students participating in the NSLP with the offer vs. serve option. Nutrient value of meals as offered, selected, and consumed was evaluated using nutritional requirements specified in the Healthy Meals for Children Act.

An elementary school was selected from a rural school district located in a Midwestern state that offered the offer vs. serve choice. Data were collected during five consecutive days (Period 1) and five randomly selected days during a four-week period (Period 2). A researcher recorded the actual menu items that students selected. At the end of the lunch period, the weighed plate method that uses physical measurements of food was used because it provides more accurate information than visual estimation or the 24-hour recall method. The Nutri-Kids program was used to determine the nutrient content of each item and meal offered.

The school policy required that all students were served an entree and a half-pint of milk (2%, skim, whole, or low-fat chocolate). The students consumed approximately 89% of milk served. Fish wedge and pigs'n blanket were the entrees that generated the least amount of food waste. The percentage of students selecting vegetables, excluding potatoes, was low, while at least 80% of students selected fruit items. The percentage of students choosing the bread/grain and dessert items was high. The averages for Periods 1 and 2 met or exceeded one-third of the RDA. Meals selected by students provided an average of 670 kcal, 28 g of protein, 445 mg of calcium, 3.7 mg of iron, 235 RE of vitamin A, and 27 mg of vitamin C. Since the students did not consume 100% of the meals, the actual consumption of energy, iron, and vitamin A did not meet the nutritional requirements.

The results suggest that elementary students participating in NSLP with the offer vs. option can consume adequate nutrients, if the students eat all foods they select. This option will be more valuable if it is combined with nutrition education programs that emphasize the components of a balanced diet and the importance of consumption of various food items. To help the students implement their knowledge, they should be exposed to more choice of fruits and vegetables at home and at school cafeterias.

Hye-Sang Lee, Kyung-Eun Lee, Carol W. Shanklin. Elementary Students' Food Consumption at Lunch Does Not Meet Recommended Dietary Allowance for Energy, Iron and Vitamin A, JADA 1010(9): 1060-1063 (September 2001) [Address correspondence to Carol W. Shanklin, Ph.D, RD, Dept. of Hotel, Restaurant, Institution Management and Dietetics, Kansas State University, 106 Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-1404, E-mail: shanklin@humec.ksu.edu].