To compare food and nutrient intakes from midday meals provided by schools with those from packed lunches and to estimate the contribution from food eaten at midday to the total daily energy and nutrient intakes of teenagers.

Dietary data were recorded in 4 d estimated diaries of which 2 d were school days. The school day data were analysed for total and midday energy and nutrient intakes. The latter were compared with the recommendations of the Caroline Walker Trust (CWT).

Cambridgeshire, UK, 2006.

Teenagers (n 757) aged 14–15 years, from eighteen secondary schools, who reported food eaten at school.

The contribution to total daily energy intake from all lunches eaten at school was 29 % (boys) and 28 % (girls). School meals provided greater quantities of protein, starch, carotene and folate but also more saturated fats and Na than packed lunches. Intakes of energy and several nutrients fell below the CWT recommendations for both types of lunch. School meals and packed lunches provided different types of foods; greater quantities of rice, pasta and vegetables in school meals; more yoghurt, cheese, fruit and juices but also more confectionery and soft drinks in packed lunches.

There has been concern that schoolchildren who are not opting for lunch provided by schools are compromising the overall quality of their diet, but the present study showed small differences in nutrient content between packed and school lunches. These data were collected in 2005–2007 before the government programme of improvements reached secondary schools.

To compare the key differences between school lunches and packed lunches as eaten in eleven secondary schools in England, 21 months after the food-based standards for school lunch became mandatory, but before the introduction of nutrient-based standards.

Data on 358 school lunches and 139 packed lunches were collected in May and June 2008 from pupils attending secondary schools in Sheffield, Manchester, Leicester City and Essex. Fieldwork was conducted over five consecutive school days at each school. Fieldworkers randomly selected five pupils taking a school lunch and five pupils bringing a packed lunch each day. All food and drink items chosen by pupils were weighed and recorded. Leftovers were also weighed.

Eleven state-maintained, co-educational secondary schools from four local authorities in England.

Four hundred and ninety-seven pupils aged 11–16 years.

Pupils taking school lunches, on average, had significantly higher intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, NSP, vitamin C, folate, Fe and Zn than pupils bringing a packed lunch to school. Mean intakes of protein, fat and vitamin C from both types of lunch met the nutrient-based standards and school lunches also met standards for carbohydrate, NSP and energy.

Nutrient intakes from school lunches were more favourable than those from packed lunches, but typically failed to meet nutrient-based standards for school food. A combination of continued improvements to school food, educating pupils to make healthier choices and policies to encourage pupils to eat at school or bring healthier packed lunches is needed.

To examine the differences in dietary intakes of children consuming school meals and packed lunches, the contribution of lunchtime intake to overall dietary intake, and how lunchtime intake relates to current food-based recommendations for school meals.

Cross-sectional analysis of overall intake of macronutrients and food choice from 4 d food diaries and school lunchtime intake from the two diary days completed while at school.

Norfolk, UK.

One thousand six hundred and twenty-six children (aged 9–10 years) attending ninety Norfolk primary schools.

At school, lunchtime school meal eaters consumed more vegetables, sweet snacks, chips, starchy foods and milk, and less squash/cordial, fruit, bread, confectionery and savoury snacks than packed lunch eaters. These differences were also reflected in the overall diet. On average school meal eaters met the School Food Trust (SFT) food-based standards, while food choices among packed lunch eaters were less healthy. The contribution of food consumed at school lunchtime to overall diet varied by food and lunch type, ranging from 0·8 % (milk intake in packed lunches) to 74·4 % (savoury snack intake in packed lunches).

There were significant differences in the foods consumed by school meal and packed lunch eaters, with food choices among school meal eaters generally in line with SFT standards. The food choices made at school lunchtime make a significant contribution to overall diet.

The aim of the present study was to explore the implementation of nutrition recommendations made in the 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Child and Adult Care Food Program: Aligning Dietary Guidance for All, in school-based after-school snack programmes.

A descriptive study.

One large suburban school district in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

None.

Major challenges to implementation included limited access to product labelling and specifications inconsistent with the IOM's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) recommendations, limited access to healthier foods due to current school district buying consortium agreement, and increased costs of wholegrain and lower-sodium foods and pre-packaged fruits and vegetables.

Opportunities for government and industry policy development and partnerships to support schools in their efforts to promote healthy after-school food environments remain. Several federal, state and industry leadership opportunities are proposed: provide product labelling that makes identifying snacks which comply with the 2010 IOM CACFP recommended standards easy; encourage compliance with recommendations by providing incentives to programmes; prioritize the implementation of paperwork and technology that simplifies enrolment and accountability systems; and provide support for food safety training and/or certification for non-food service personnel.