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Comparison between school lunches and packed lunches in secondary schools

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2011

J. Pearce  and
M. Nelson
J. Pearce
Affiliation:
School Food Trust, 2 St Paul's Place, Sheffield, S1 2JF, UK
M. Nelson
Affiliation:
School Food Trust, 2 St Paul's Place, Sheffield, S1 2JF, UK
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Abstract

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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 70 , Issue OCE4: Summer Meeting, 4–6 July 2011, 70th Anniversary: From plough through practice to policy , 2011 , E168
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2011

In order to improve the quality of food provided in secondary schools, food-based standards (FBS) and nutrient-based standards (NBS) were introduced in 2007 and 2009, respectively(1). The standards do not apply to packed lunches but schools are encouraged to have a packed lunch policy(2). Research in primary schools comparing the nutrient intakes of pupils who consume either a school lunch or a packed lunch has shown that, on average, pupils who consume a school lunch typically have a more favourable intake of key nutrients(Reference Evans, Greenwood and Thomas3), to date no similar comparison has been carried out in secondary schools.

In 2008, the School Food Trust studied the effect in secondary schools of improving school food and the meal experience on pupil's postprandial behaviour in the classroom(Reference Storey, Pearce and Ashfield-Watt4). Ethical approval was obtained from Kings College London Research Ethics Committee. Lunchtime food and drink choices of pupils consuming either a school lunch or a packed lunch were recorded at eleven secondary schools. Portion sizes were either weighed or estimated by weighing duplicate portions of foods provided at the schools. Leftovers were weighed to calculate the amount of each food eaten by each child. Baseline data from this study were used to compare mean energy and nutrient intakes from school lunches and packed lunches.

Table 1. Mean and standard deviation of nutrients consumed, by type of lunch

1Non-milk extrinsic sugars 2 Non-starch polysaccharides 3 Standard deviation. *Mean values were significantly different from school lunches (ANCOVA adjusted for age, sex and school): P<0.05.

Pupils who chose a school lunch had significantly higher intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, NSP, vitamin C, folate, Fe and Zn than those who brought a packed lunch from home.

It is hoped that following the introduction of NBS in September 2009(1), the nutrient profile of secondary school meals will have improved; however, educating parents and pupils to make healthier choices for packed lunches is warranted.

References

1.The Education (Nutritional Standards and Requirements for School Food) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/1800). London: TSO. (Accessed 14/02/2011).Google Scholar
2.The School Food Trust. Example packed lunch policy (2010). http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/schools/projects/packed-lunches/example-packed-lunch-policy. (Accessed 23/02/2011).Google Scholar
3.Evans, CEL, Greenwood, DC, Thomas, JD et al. (2009). A cross-sectional survey of children's packed lunches in the UK: food- and nutrient-based results. J Epidemiol Community Health 0, 1–7.Google Scholar
4.Storey, CH, Pearce, J, Ashfield-Watt, PAL et al. (2011) A randomised controlled trial of the effect of school food and dining room modifications on classroom behaviour in secondary school children. Eur J Clin Nutr 65, 32–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Figure 0

Table 1. Mean and standard deviation of nutrients consumed, by type of lunch