School Nutrition Services (SNS) Research

Publication: Nutrients 

Date Published: November 2024

Reference:

Bean, M. K., Mazzeo, S. E., Raynor, H. A., Thornton, L. M., de Jonge, L., Mendoza, A., & Farthing, S. (2024). How do school salad bars impact elementary school students’ dietary quality and energy intake at lunch? A randomized controlled plate waste investigation. Nutrients, 16(23), 4102. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234102

Key Takeaways: The study evaluated the impact of school salad bars on elementary students’ lunch choices and consumption by comparing plate waste data between schools with salad bars and those without. Results showed that schools with salad bars had higher fruit and vegetable selection and intake among students, contributing to improved dietary quality at lunch without increasing overall calorie intake. These findings suggest that salad bars can be an effective strategy for promoting greater fruit and vegetable consumption among elementary school children.

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