The purpose of the study was to investigate the cost effectiveness of two selected satellite lunch programs in Indiana public schools in order to determine if such sattelite lunch programs have met expectations of savings of money over traditional cafeteria lunch programs.Procedures and MethodologyThe components of the lunch programs investigated included (1) construction costs, (2) equipment costs, (3) labor costs, (4) supply costs, (5) food costs, (6) maintenance costs, (7) repair costs, (8) transportation costs, and (9) administrative costs. The existing satellite lunch programs were compared to projected cafeteria lunch programs for the same populations and for the same time frame. Data was gathered directly from annual reports of the school corporations involved and through interviews with the directors of Food Services; and interview guide sanctioned by a representative of the Nutrition and Foods Division of the Department of Public Instruction of the State of Indiana was used in the data gathering.FindingsLabor costs were found to be the single largest factor in the comparison of the two types of food service programs; other factors affecting the comparison were supply costs, maintenance costs, and administrative costs. Although supply costs and transportation costs were less for the projected cafeteria lunch programs, the difference did not off-set the increased costs of labor, equipment, maintenance, space, and administrative services. In the final analysis, the satellite lunch programs were viewed as having fulfilled the expectation of saving money in both construction and operational costs.Recommendations for Further StudySome of the aspects of the study which were viewed as deserving further study included (1) investigation into a standardized accounting procedure, (2) examination of possibilities for more effective use of surplus commodities, and (3) study of the quality of the food service programs from the viewpoint of the consumers.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare Indiana school menus, wellness policies, nutrient analyses, and demographics to the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations to explore associations between school characteristics and achievement of the IOM recommendations for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The results of this study provide information and baseline data for school corporations. Results indicated that only 57% of school menus met the saturated fat recommendation, less than half met the trans fat recommendations and no school met the sodium recommendation. Intakes of fats and sodium were not significantly correlated with the variety or amount of fruits and vegetables served (p>0.05). The results suggest that past efforts to improve nutrient content of meals served through the NSLP have been successful. However, lunch menus should be targeted for additional assessment and intervention. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences