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USDA administers four domestic food assistance programs that exclusively or primarily serve the nutritional needs of children. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) provide free or reduced-price meals to certified students at participating public and private schools. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides subsidized meals to children and adults cared for by participating child care centers, family child care homes, and adult day care centers. And, the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free meals primarily to children in low-income areas through sponsored programs when school is not in session. ERS conducts research on the effects of direct certification in the NSLP, on a pilot project to provide free fruits and vegetables in selected NSLP schools, on program operation and integrity issues in the CACFP, and on options for improving estimates of sponsor, site, and participant characteristics in the SFSP.
related briefing rooms
- offer an indepth discussion synthesizing ERS research
feature
Several
Strategies May Lower Plate Waste in School Feeding ProgramsAn
estimated 12 percent of food served to children under the National
School Lunch Program is wasted, according to an evaluation of the
program conducted in the mid-1990s. Girls tend to waste more food
and nutrients than boys, and younger children waste more food than
older children. Vegetables and salads are the most wasted food items.
Strategies for reducing plate waste include increasing meal flexibility,
rescheduling lunch hours, improving the quality of food, tailoring
portion sizes to student appetites via self-service, and providing
nutrition education. Changes in the program and the increase in
competing food options in schools since this program was last studied
may also have affected plate waste.
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
updated: March 5, 2003
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