How the USDA School Meal Guidelines Impact Fruits and Vegetables Selection and Waste in School Cafeterias

Abstract

ObjectiveIn 2012, new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations required schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide a fruit or vegetable with each meal. We examine the impact of these regulations on fruit and vegetable selection and waste.Theory, Prior Research, RationaleDue to the criticism towards the nutritional content of its reimbursable meals, USDA updated school lunch guidelines. The new standards required that students take either a fruit or a vegetable to qualify as a reimbursable meal. While increasing the exposure of fruits and vegetables, new guidelines, however, did not guarantee increased consumption.Design, Setting, Participants, and InterventionTwenty-one schools were randomly assigned to either continue to use their prior menus or to use menus based on the new USDA regulations. Food preparation, lunch sales, and student tray waste records were collected both before and after the treatment period.Outcome Measures and AnalysisGroup mean and difference-in-difference analyses were conducted to compare the amounts of selection and waste.ResultsThe selection of both fruits and vegetables increased by 25% and 45% (p<0.001), respectively, as a result of new policy. The new policy also had a negative impact on vegetable waste (p<0.001).Conclusions and ImplicationsThis randomized controlled trial shows that while the new policy succeeded in exposing students to more fruits and vegetables (increased selection), it had a mixed impact on the waste. This underscores the need of mixing new behavioral tools to better motivate the consumption and not just the selection of fruits and vegetables by students.FundingNone ObjectiveIn 2012, new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations required schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide a fruit or vegetable with each meal. We examine the impact of these regulations on fruit and vegetable selection and waste. In 2012, new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations required schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide a fruit or vegetable with each meal. We examine the impact of these regulations on fruit and vegetable selection and waste. Theory, Prior Research, RationaleDue to the criticism towards the nutritional content of its reimbursable meals, USDA updated school lunch guidelines. The new standards required that students take either a fruit or a vegetable to qualify as a reimbursable meal. While increasing the exposure of fruits and vegetables, new guidelines, however, did not guarantee increased consumption. Due to the criticism towards the nutritional content of its reimbursable meals, USDA updated school lunch guidelines. The new standards required that students take either a fruit or a vegetable to qualify as a reimbursable meal. While increasing the exposure of fruits and vegetables, new guidelines, however, did not guarantee increased consumption. Design, Setting, Participants, and InterventionTwenty-one schools were randomly assigned to either continue to use their prior menus or to use menus based on the new USDA regulations. Food preparation, lunch sales, and student tray waste records were collected both before and after the treatment period. Twenty-one schools were randomly assigned to either continue to use their prior menus or to use menus based on the new USDA regulations. Food preparation, lunch sales, and student tray waste records were collected both before and after the treatment period. Outcome Measures and AnalysisGroup mean and difference-in-difference analyses were conducted to compare the amounts of selection and waste. Group mean and difference-in-difference analyses were conducted to compare the amounts of selection and waste. ResultsThe selection of both fruits and vegetables increased by 25% and 45% (p<0.001), respectively, as a result of new policy. The new policy also had a negative impact on vegetable waste (p<0.001). The selection of both fruits and vegetables increased by 25% and 45% (p<0.001), respectively, as a result of new policy. The new policy also had a negative impact on vegetable waste (p<0.001). Conclusions and ImplicationsThis randomized controlled trial shows that while the new policy succeeded in exposing students to more fruits and vegetables (increased selection), it had a mixed impact on the waste. This underscores the need of mixing new behavioral tools to better motivate the consumption and not just the selection of fruits and vegetables by students. This randomized controlled trial shows that while the new policy succeeded in exposing students to more fruits and vegetables (increased selection), it had a mixed impact on the waste. This underscores the need of mixing new behavioral tools to better motivate the consumption and not just the selection of fruits and vegetables by students.