Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Prevalence Of Evidence-Based School Meal Practices And Associations With Reported Food Waste Across A National Sample Of U.S. Elementary Schools, Hannah G. Calvert, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, Michaela Mcquilkin, Peter Boedeker, Lindsey Turner

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Providing meals at school is an important part of the hunger safety net for children in the United States and worldwide; however, many children do not receive school meals even when they qualify for federally-subsidized free or reduced-priced meals. This study investigates the prevalence of several evidence-based practices that have previously been shown to increase the reach and impact of school meals. A survey was sent to a national sample of US elementary schools, with items examining practices regarding school breakfast, school lunch, recess, the promotion of meals, nutrition standards, and food waste, during the 2019–20 school year. Almost all …