The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) contacted public school districts around the United States to determine if they offered low-fat, healthful meals. The PCRM ranked the schools according to whether they served low-fat and vegetarian meals daily, whether these meals varied through the week, and whether children needed to…

This hearing includes testimony on contaminated strawberries in school lunches. Contaminated strawberries were determined to be the cause of an outbreak of hepatitis in the state of Michigan. In addition to statements by the committee members, testimony was given by: (1) Mary Ann Keeffe, Acting Under Secretary, Food Nutrition and Consumer…

This report summarizes the history of the school lunch program from its inception as a relief measure in 1889 through formalization by the national School Lunch Law of 1954 and describes its present scope, organization, finances, objectives, and problems. Intended to improve the physical and mental development of students as well as Japanese…

Explains standards laid out in Federal Circular A-120 to ensure accountability, uniformity of standards, legal compliance, and efficiency in school food service procurement. Includes bidding and contract award procedures, contract compliance considerations, and cost-cutting methods. (MCG)

Carroll County, Maryland, has shaped a strategy to improve school nutrition by weakening or eliminating, where possible, junk food competition, making lunches more nourishing and appealing, and working nutrition instruction into other subject areas. Steps taken to accomplish these changes are described. (MF)

The 1992 "Best Practices" award winners for exemplary accomplishments in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs are recognized and described in this booklet. The information provided can be used as a tool to implement the dietary guidelines and achieve the Year 2000 nutrition objectives. The programs are listed under the…

Guidelines for implementing and operating a school breakfast program in New York are provided in this document. Following an introduction that explains the need for school breakfast programs, sections describe program history, meal pattern requirements, eligible participants, and available state and local financial assistance. Program requirements…

A revolutionary, fast-food school lunch program has raised participation by 202 percent, created a half-million dollar surplus in the school food service account, and meets the federal school lunch program requirement. (Author/MLF)

A procedures handbook specifically developed for school food service employees assures proper interpretation and communication of policy items and regulations. Figures illustrate the process, development, and suggested content of a school food service handbook. (MLF)

A statewide food-purchasing cooperative in Mississippi offers cost savings, better service, and quality improvement. Explains 15 steps to forming a purchasing cooperative. (MLF)

This manual contains information on federal policy regarding meal-pattern requirements for school-nutrition programs. It also describes the Offer Versus Serve (OVS) provision, which allows students to decline either one or two food items they do not intend to eat in order to reduce food waste. The manual explains food components, gives examples of…

This congressional hearing on the school lunch program dealt with the question of what would happen in those school districts that wanted to exercise an option to either take cash in lieu of commodities from the Department of Agriculture, or commodity letters of credit. Prepared statements are presented from Gene Miller, school food service…

This case study reviews the literature related to diet, behavior and learning and describes procedures and results of a change in the diet of an adolescent girl who had an extensive history of problems at home and at school. Studies of nutritional deficiency, nutritional imbalance, allergies, and synthetic food additives are briefly overviewed.…

This document presents the program transcripts of a weekly series broadcast by member stations of National Public Radio. The program focuses on food in the schools. It addresses the following issues: plate waste in Chicago and Dallas; banning junk food and vending machines; the results of a vending machine junk food ban in West Virginia;…

Several sources of nutrition information are available on the Internet. Good online sources include the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Consumer Service bulletin board, the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and the IFIC (International Food Information Council) Foundation On-Line. E-mail addresses…