FNS Research Corner

The FNS Research Corner provides a continuing series of summaries of recently completed and current research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in the…

Serving Fish in School Meals: Perceptions of School Nutrition Professionals in Alaska

Fish is an important part of a healthy diet and, as a major source of omega-3 fats, fish contributes to the prevention of heart disease (Mozaffarian & Rimm, 2006). The…

School Nutrition Professionals’ Usage and Perceptions of USDA Recipes and the Impact of Student Enrollment

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been involved in the development of standardized recipes for school lunch since the 1920’s (USDA, 1925). In 2007 the USDA Recipes for…

Professional Networks Among Rural School Food Service Directors Implementing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) mandated many changes related to wellness and nutrition in America’s K-12 schools. Since the HHFKA was passed, school districts across the nation…

Perspectives and Future Directions Concerning Fresh, Whole Foods in Montana School Nutrition Programs

In 2012, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provided affordable meals for 31.6 million children in the United States each day (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service [USDA-ERS], 2013a).…

Methods and Challenges Related to Implementing the New National School Lunch Program Regulations in Indiana

Administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally funded foodservice program that…

From Policy to Practice: Parent Perceptions of the 2010 Federal School Lunch Mandate

In December 2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) was signed into law, mandating major revisions to the National School Lunch Program’s (NSLP) nutrition standards based on the latest edition…

Food Defense Best Practices Reported by Public School Food Authorities in Seven Northern U.S. States

Food tampering incidents in schools have been documented (Dalziel, 2009). An attack on food served in a school setting has the potential to achieve terrorist goals to create social disruption,…

Current Practices for Providing School Field Trip Meals: Perspectives of School Nutrition Managers and Teachers

Food safety has been a concern for school nutrition program professionals for many years (Almanza & Sneed, 2003). Some of the first food safety research in schools focused on food…

Building Healthier Children Through Family-Style Service in School Cafeterias

Traditionally school feeding, administered primarily by the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), has improved children’s health and well-being through policy, regulation, and targeted research in schools. Established in 1946, the…