California Food Policy Advocates commissioned a survey to describe the financial resources that support California’s public school food service departments. This study follows previous surveys that described a growing dependence on the sale of a la carte foods to support school food service operations. This survey aimed to collect information to determine how food service departments obtain revenues, manage spending, and position food quality in the overall management of the food service department. Based on the responses to the survey, a number of recommendations were developed to help food service departments achieve higher nutritional quality while maintaining fiscal soundness: - Increase participation in the National School Lunch Program so that more students will be eating healthier meals. Fund food service departments to: 1) improve the quality of foods served, 2) market the NSLP to students, teachers, and parents, and 3) engage students in selecting the food items sold by the food service. - Institute nutrient standards for a la carte items that are consistent with current dietary guidelines and that maintain a la carte sales at adequate levels. - Develop and institute school board policies that do not allow the sale of specific low-nutritive value foods. - Give the district food service director authority over all food sales and food-related revenues. - Conduct an expanded School Food Service Finance Survey and develop to assess the feasibility, cost, and impact of implementing the recommended changes.
Learning Objectives: Attendees will: - Understand the finance issues related to school foods services. - Articulate how to school food services can maintain fiscal soundness while improving nutritional quality.
Keywords: Financing, Food and Nutrition
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