Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 15, 2010) The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Ruth Ann Roberts Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Northern Kentucky University, 2009. / Made available through ProQuest. Publication number: AAT 1462676. ProQuest document ID: 1703377531. Includes bibliographical references (p. 36-45)

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Danielle Wleklinski, for the Master of Science degree in Food and Nutrition, presented on December 7, 2010, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: ILLINOIS SCHOOL FOODSERVICE EMPLOYEES' AND PURCHASERS' PERCEIVED BENEFITS, OBSTACLES, AND ATTITUDES TO PURCHASING MORE LOCAL FOODS MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Sylvia Smith Due to the recent surge in environmental consciousness and childhood obesity, Farm to School Programs have gained interest. Previous research studies indicate school foodservice purchasers perceive benefits and obstacles to purchasing local foods (32,74,78,80-81). However, no studies have investigated school foodservice employees' perceptions to benefits, obstacles, and interest to purchasing local food, and if purchasers view benefits and obstacles differently based on school size. Our study sought to further understand perceived benefits, obstacle and attitudes to purchasing local food among school foodservice employees and purchasers. Our study (N=151) found purchasers and employees agree to 13 benefits and 16 obstacles to purchasing local food. Purchasers from large- and medium-size schools perceive less "less use of pesticides" and "ability to know product sources" as stronger benefits to purchasing local food and perceive "cost of food", "adequate volume", "reliable supply of food quantity", "payment arrangement", and "packing material" as stronger obstacles to purchasing local food (p<≤>¡Ü05). Results also show purchasers and employees are interested in receiving training to prepare and serve more local foods; however, purchasers only slightly agree they have resources to train their employees to prepare more meals with local foods and slightly disagree they are willing to pay more for local foods. Results suggest training programs may be needed to encourage local food procurement in schools. Further research should be performed to validate this study's findings; if differences in purchasers' perceived benefits and obstacles based on school size are identified, researchers should investigate where differences lie and why they exist.

Objective. As childhood obesity continues to threaten the overall health of young people, K-12 teachers are uniquely poised to advocate for, and support food and nutrition, school lunch and student health. Yet, classroom teachers are largely uninvolved in school lunch. School lunch is typically viewed as separate from the rest of the school day and not seen as an educational opportunity. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop an understanding of the role teachers could play in supporting, encouraging, and shifting the culture that surrounds school lunch in the United States. Methods. To accomplish this purpose, this dissertation had two studies. Study One utilized ten K–12 public school teachers. The data collected were from a descriptive characteristics questionnaire, theatrical data collection workshops, and individual interviews. These data provided an understanding of teachers’ attitudes and perceptions of school lunch, and if and how they currently provide food and nutrition education and support school lunch. The data provided an understanding of obstacles that keep teachers from supporting school lunch, recommendations and resources for teachers to support the school lunch program, and links between food and nutrition education to school lunch. Study Two developed an understanding of the realities, feasibility and experiences of 39 teachers from six schools while implementing a school wellness initiative in Anchorage, Alaska. The non-prescriptive wellness initiative in which the teachers operated, allocated 30 minutes for lunch and 54 minutes of physical activity each day, in which 30 of those minutes was allotted for recess. The teachers were regularly in the cafeteria. The data collected were from focus groups (one per school) to explore teachers’ experiences implementing the wellness initiative. Data Analysis. For Study One, the descriptive characteristics questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequencies. For Studies One and Two, the theatrical data collection workshops, individual interviews, and focus groups were transcribed, coded and analyzed for themes and domains using NVivo version 12 for Mac. Inter-rater reliability was conducted to ensure statistical agreement in the codes (k = 0.78). Results. Study One: the teachers had a general dislike of the school lunch served when they were children. As teachers, they generally disliked the school lunch as well. However, they saw the importance of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in providing meals for low-income students. Additionally, they thought it was very important for all students to be well-nourished to do well at school. Teachers made efforts to see that their students were fed by providing healthy snacks, modeling healthy eating in the cafeteria, and incorporating food and nutrition into their curricula. The participants believed teachers could play a greater role in school lunch by regularly discussing school lunch, eating with students, gardening and cooking with students, and/or providing positive messaging about lunch. However, there were barriers to overcome, including lack of administrative support, poor food quality, poor cafeteria culture, and a lack of adequate professional development. The teachers felt opportunities for professional development related to school lunch would provide greater self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills to overcome the barriers to playing a greater role in school lunch.Study Two: the teachers believed the wellness initiative had the best intentions for their students. Teachers found physical activity breaks to be beneficial for students and saw improvement in their students’ focus, attention, and behavior. Teachers also observed students eating more due to the extra time at lunch. Younger students benefitted the most from the extra time. However, timing and scheduling of the physical activity component was the largest barrier along with lack of administrative support in some schools. Additionally, teachers observed poor student behavior in the cafeteria as a result of the extra time. The teachers did not report eating with students or encouraging students to eat school lunch. Conclusions. Because they are growing and developing, diets that provide adequate calories and nutrient-dense food are vital for children to reach their highest potentials. Despite its negative stereotype, school lunch provides a reliable source of nutrition to food insecure children. The research suggests teachers can play a large role in school lunch and have the greatest power to act as agents of cultural change in schools but need the support of their respective schools’ administrations. School lunch-based professional development would assist teachers in accomplishing this momentous task.

The objective of this research was to compare actual food costs with standard food costs in twenty-seven elementary schools in Virginia using information derived from the Cost-Based Accounting system. Comparison of actual and standard food costs were made using techniques adapted from industrial settings. These techniques include MAD, RSFE, and tracking signals. These techniques were then used to establish control limits for cost variances between actual and standard costs. As a result of the research effort, the use of MAD, RSFE, and tracking signals proved to be a realistic approach to cost variance analysis in school foodservice. / Master of Science

Master of Science

This study looked at how cholesterol levels of students, ages 11-15, who participated in the NSLP and the SBP would be affected compared with those students who only participated in the NSLP. Fasting blood samples (lOmL) were analyzed from 15 students who ate lunch only (L) and 15 students who ate both breakfast and lunch (BL) from the Driver Middle School food service at least 3 times a week. Blood was analyzed for changes in total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and Triglycerides from baseline to 4 months. Results showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL, and a significant increase in triglycerides from baseline to 4 months in both the L group and the BL group. This may be attributable to hormone levels during sexual maturation in prepubescent and pubescent students. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Problem: This research proposes to examine the effects of Reaganomics on pricing and participation in the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. Subproblems: The first subproblem is to examine the effects of Reaganomics on pricing in the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. The second subproblem is to examine the effects of Reaganomics on participation in the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. Hypotheses: The first hypothesis is that Reaganomics has resulted in price increases to the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. The second hypothesis is that Reaganomics has decreased the percentage of the regular paying sector participating in the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools.

Due to the short time the updated National School Lunch Program standards have been in place since fall of 2012, few research studies have explored what effect these new standards have had on fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption, particularly among elementary school students. Because the new standards require schools to offer students more F/V than before, researchers are interested to know if F/V consumption has indeed increased. The participants in the study were enrolled in a program to motivate students to eat more F/V – the Food Dudes program. The results of the data analysis found that most students, regardless of grade, were eating less F/V initially after the new standards were in place. However, the group of students receiving prizes from the Food Dudes program actually ate more F/V over time instead of less. Also, F/V consumption for the first spring under the new standards did not decrease as much as it had during the spring under the old standards. These results indicate that, despite initial declines in F/V consumption, students could be adjusting to the updated standards. Also, students who have participated in the incentives group of the Food Dudes program did not show a drop in F/V consumption, even during the first semester the new standards were in place. Future studies should look at the current F/V intake of students under the updated guidelines now that they have been in place for several school years, as well as at additional intervention programs to increase F/V consumption among this population.

No description available.