Research & Practice
Increasing Participation in School Meals by Overcoming Parent Perceptions
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Nutrition Services works hard to provide well balanced meals for their students. However, participation of school meals at SPS remains low. Barriers of participation include parent dissatisfaction and students’ perception of school meals.
The purpose of this project was to increase participation of school meals by overcoming parent dissatisfaction, particularly parents of elementary school students. A lunch box survey was conducted at three elementary schools to compare the contents of school and home-packed meals. The noted home-packed meals were then compared to school-provided meals through nutritional and cost analyses. Results: Results demonstrated that school-provided meals were higher in fiber and lower in fat and added sugars. School-provided meals were also slightly lower in cost. Other benefits of meals provided through SPS included the provision of a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables through school salad bars, scratch-made meals, and strictly followed food safety protocols. Once these benefits were identified, they were highlighted and communicated through written news articles and bulletins. Oral presentations articulating these benefits were also given at school open houses and PTA meetings.
Materials Available
Project Type(s): MPH Practicum, PH Concentration Poster
Author(s): Britt Myer
Program(s): Master of Public Health, RDN Training
Year: 2018
Adviser(s):