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ERIC Number: EJ1214815
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1559-5676
EISSN: N/A
Confidence of Hourly School Nutrition Employees with Local and Farm-Fresh Produce
Nothum, Anna; Eggett, Dennis; Stokes, Nathan
Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, v43 n1 Spr 2019
Purpose/Objectives: Farm to school (FTS) programs have many benefits, including potential for increased consumption of fruits and vegetables by students. However, there are challenges with hourly school nutrition employees' abilities to successfully process local produce and promote it to students. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in the confidence of hourly school nutrition employees to process and promote local produce, and to determine whether those differences were related to the training received and FTS activity involvement. Methods: Paper questionnaires were mailed to 39 school nutrition directors and 928 hourly school nutrition employees in 28 FTS-participating school districts. Participants answered questions regarding employee training, involvement with FTS activities, and perceived confidence related to processing and promoting local produce. Results: A total of 22 directors and 357 employees responded to the survey. Directors reported that training topics for employees included sanitation, nutrition information, equipment use, and processing and promoting local produce. Employees who reported having received training in processing and promoting local produce, and whose schools used FTS activities, indicated higher confidence in preparing local produce and promoting it to students. Promotional skills that had the strongest associations with employee training and FTS activity responses were knowledge about "where local produce comes from and how to promote it," and "the nutritional value of local produce and how to promote it." Application to Child Nutrition Professionals: School nutrition directors can help their hourly employees successfully participate in FTS programs by training them about processing techniques, promotional strategies for local produce items, and facilitating involvement with FTS activities. Employees who are informed about the origins and nutritional content of local produce and who have access to promotional materials such as banners and signs may be better able to encourage students to try local fruits and vegetables with potential for increased consumption.
School Nutrition Association. 120 Waterfront Street Suite 300, National Harbor, MD 20745. Tel: 301-686-3100; Fax: 301-686-3115; e-mail: servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org; Web site: http://schoolnutrition.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Kentucky; Tennessee; North Carolina; Georgia; Wyoming; Utah; Colorado; Arizona; New Mexico
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A