Recommendation of Serving Size of the Meal Service of Community Child Centers in Korea

지역아동센터 급식을 위한 적정 배식량 제안

Objectives: This study was performed to set easily applicable portion sizes by sex and age for children at the Community Child Centers (CCC) in Korea. Methods: Considering the age and gender specific energy level at Target Patterns for children aged 6-18 years, which were suggested as a part of the 2010 Korean Food Guidance System (KFGS), we set three meal sizes. We reclassified the recommended daily servings of Grains, Meat fish eggs beans and Vegetables group at Target Patterns into three meal sizes, and then calculated the recommended serving per meal. Each proposed amount of food per meal was calculated based on serving size of foods commonly eaten at KFGS, which was then allocated to five meal components; rice, soup stew, protein and vegetable side-dishes and Kimchi. Each proposed amount of food per meal was applied to 173 menus' recipes from CANpro 3.0 as main ingredient's amounts. We cooked the 173 menus at the medium size and measured their weights after cooking. Results: Each recommended serving per meal was 0.75, 0.9 and 1.2 for Grains; 1.2, 1.6 and 2.4 for Meat fish eggs beans; 2, 2.4 and 2.8 for Vegetables by meal sizes. Among five meal components, the ratio of small and large to medium size was 1/5 less and 1/3 more for rice and 1/3 less and 1/3 more for soup stew, protein side-dish and Kimchi, respectively. We suggested the same amount for a vegetable side-dish to encourage vegetable intake. Proper portion sizes per meal of medium were rice 190 g, soup stew 210 g (solid ingredients 60 g), protein side-dish 100 g (meat eggs beans) and 70 g (fish), vegetable side-dish 80g and Kimchi 30 g. Conclusions: Proper portion size per meal suggested in this study may be useful at the CCC where dietitians are not available and the approach could be applicable to the other types of meal services.