Methods Beyond Plate Waste: Evaluating School Climate, Policy, and Student Satisfaction

Background: Although the USDA’s National School Lunch Program requires schools to provide healthier food options as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, there is no guarantee that students consume what they are provided­­. In 2013, the Healthy School Food Collaborative successfully piloted research that joined plate waste and menu analysis data to measure student consumption of macronutrients. Nevertheless, existing research indicates that a multitude of factors beyond what plate waste methods can capture also play a critical role in lunchtime consumption patterns. Methods: In 2014, the pilot’s study design was expanded to include additional tools that sought to measure these environmental factors. A Cafeteria Environmental Scan assessed the cafeteria environment by investigating indicators of sanitation, promotion of wellness policies and healthy eating, and the presence of amenities such as water fountains and adequate lighting. A Fidelity Monitoring Tool was completed daily and tracked daily on-site adherence to the published menu and school policies such as variations in eating time, recess, and silent versus social cafeteria rules. Finally, brief surveys were administered twice during the study to assess student satisfaction, and school-specific focus groups were also used to better contextualize survey results. Conclusion: To better inform policies and programs related to school nutrition, it is important that factors beyond school food offerings are understood and taken into consideration.  This session provides a complete depiction of student consumption patterns by addressing underlying school climate and policy issues to be examined against more established plate waste methodologies.