• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.179-191
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• 1998

The satisfaction of elementary school children and their parents with the school lunch program by foodservice system was assessed by questionnaire. 787 (347 male, 417 female) 5th grade elementary school children and 761 parents participated. Foodservice systems of the schools were of 4 types : central/commissary ; satellite /commissary ; conventional/contracted ; and delivery/contracted. The most joyful mealtime for children was identified as lunch because of eating with friends. Satiety and leftovers after lunch varied according to the foodservice system. For example , there was less satiety in the contracted system and more leftovers in the delivery system than in the others, Foods tasted better in the commissary system than in the contracted one. The contacted system , especially the delivery/contracted system, was poor for keeping rice and soup hot. The children's food habits such as eating a greater variety of foods and good table manner were improved through the school munch program. Most parents well understood the main purpose of the school lunch program to be a source of education on nutrition and table manner, as well as a way in which to provide the same meals to all students and save the time & work needed to prepare home lunches. Parents claimed that hygiene, taste, good nutrition and food amount should be improved. This was especially true for hygiene in the commissary system and taste in the contracted system. Furthermore, they stressed that better taste and hygiene are the most important criteria for good school foodservice systems. In conclusion, parents wanted the school lunch program should be selected with consideration of children's preference such as by periodical food preference tests. A nutrition education program should also be provided to correct bad food habits of childrens.