Examined whether 52 middle school students who received free or reduced-price meals suffered lower general or area-specific self-esteem than did 52 students who did not receive such benefits. Also examined whether self-esteem varied by grade level. Using Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, found no significant differences for either group…

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

In the past 5 years, the Center for Ecoliteracy's Food Systems Project has grown from one schoolyard garden to the complete reinvention of Child Nutrition Services throughout the Berkeley Unified School District. Using food as the organizing principle for systemic change, the project is devising a pattern of healthy food, improved academic…

This paper examines some of the dominant discourses related to poverty and education such as those offered by the prominent political ideologies, those presented by educators who write about poverty, those embedded in popular culture, and those surrounding current teacher education curricula. Furthermore, this study evaluates the impact these…

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…

More than 50 million meals are served annually to Colorado's children through the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, and Summer Food Service Program for children. Most of this report is comprised of tables showing average daily participation, meals served, and other statistics about school meal programs…

At the request of the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, this investigation identified state and local school food authorities' (SFA) management and operating practices recognized as best practice by the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) or other officials. In addition, the study determined whether some of these practices could be…

In 1994, Congress passed the Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act, requiring that Child Nutrition Programs comply with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and meet nutrient standards. In 1995, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued new regulations to define how the Dietary Guidelines would be applied to school meals, called the…

This study, which was conducted by a national consumer advocacy organization, examined the nutritional adequacy of the diets of elementary school children. The study also examined the nutritional adequacy of meals served in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The study determined that: (1) children consume too much fat, cholesterol, and…

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), is responsible for administering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Under the provisions of the program, states are reimbursed a set amount of money for each meal served under the program. In 1991 and 1992, the FNS published the results of a survey of a…

This practicum was designed to increase the inclusion of elementary-level students who have physical disabilities with their nondisabled peers in art, recess, and media center activities. Regular education classes were invited to join the art activities in the self-contained class for the students with physical disabilities, and a total of four…

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…

U.S. organizations interested in and involved with hunger issues and actions are described in this annotated listing. There are four major sections: (1) non-government organizations; (2) regional agencies; (3) government organizations, including United Nations and multilateral agencies, U.S. Congress, and federal government agencies; and (4)…

The Hunger Relief Act of 1986 shows the broad concern in Congress and among the American people for the elimination of hunger and malnutrition in America. Four Congressional committees participated in advancing this legislation, which provides a 12-point plan for improving the nutrition programs serving low-income Americans. The committees heard…

This guide was written to provide sponsors with a combination of guidance and policy information in order to help them plan, purchase, prepare, and serve nutritious meals and snacks that comply with the Child Care Food Program meal pattern requirements. Nutrition information and lists of allowable foods for each menu component (meat, fruit and…