eval report cover.indd - New Jersey Farm to School Network Wiki

Comparative Research: Salad Bars and Produce ConsumptionSalad bars and fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary schools: A plate waste study. Adams MA,Pelletier RL, Zive MM, Sallis JF. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2005; 105:1789-1792.Review of Farm to School Evaluation LiteratureTh is small study examined diff e rences in fruit and vegetable consumption between self-servesalad bars and proportioned meals. The study was conducted in two San Diego County schooldistricts with diff e rent food offerings. Using food plate waste data from 288 students at fourschools, the researchers found no significant diff e rence in fruit and vegetable consumptionbetween students that served themselves and those that were served proportioned items.Th e variety of items available did impact consumption as the lunch program with thegreatest number of fruit and vegetable offerings also had the highest consumption.Students choose farm to school meals over hot meal options►►►In the Ventura Unified Healthy Schools Program (VEN-CA), students chosefarm to school salad bar meals at a ratio of approximately two to one over hotmeal entrees. Th e salad bar was more popular than all twelve hot entrees offeredon salad bar days (2002-03 data). 49In March 2005 when the RSD-CA farm to school salad bar program was initiated,a record 65% of students chose the salad bar lunch over hot lunch. Afterthe initial excitement wore off, participation numbers leveled off to 26%, wherethey have remained since then. An unexpected result of the program has been anearly 9% increase in overall school meal participation, including growth in thenumber of teacher meals served. Prior to the salad bar, the school served approximatelysix teacher meals per month, post-salad bar they served an averageof 11 teachers per day nearly all of whom eat salad bar lunches. This growth inparticipation has resulted in a substantial increase in revenues that help makethe program financially sustainable.In the COM-CA program, two farm to school sites had an average of 54.6% and21.9% of students choosing salad bar meals over hot meals. 20Students self-report healthier diets by an increase in consumption of fruits andvegetables and healthy foods or a decrease in consumption of unhealthy foods►Students participatingin the Los Angeles Unifie d Salad Bar Project(LSB-CA) from 2000-01 reported that theyate an average of 4.09daily servings of fruitsand vegetables after afarmers’ market saladbar was introducedat their school comparedto 2.97 servingsper day before the34 Bearing Fruit: Farm to School Evaluation Resources and Recommendations