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Croom, Erin Anne

Community Development and Applied Economics

2005

MS

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) of the United States serves nearly 27 million children per day, and currently dominates the school food system. An emerging alternative (or compliment) to what has become an agro-industrial model of the NSLP are local Farm to School (FTS) programs. The purpose of this study was to measure the impacts on participating students of one FTS program, Vermont Food Education Every Day (VT -FEED). The results of this research assist in understanding how FTS programs might create leverage points which help to improve the current school food system. The hierarchy of effects model (Lavidge & Steiner, 1961), consumer involvement theory (1981) and social judgment theory (Sherif, 1961) provide a conceptual framework for examining the VT - FEED program's effect on students and assist in framing recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of FTS programs. This study utilizes a mixed methods analysis of student changes in awareness, knowledge, attitude, preference and behavior. Pre-post assessments, questionnaires and interviews were administered to students, parents, food service professional, teachers, and VT-FEED team partners. Bivariate data suggests significant increases in student awareness and know ledge of nutrition, and preference of new foods. Qualitative data also suggests an increase in student understanding of nutrition and local farms, and revealed student demand for nutritious and local foods. Students participating in the VT-FEED program were involved in taste testing nutritious and local foods, field trips to local farms and nutrition education in the classroom. These activities contributed to an increase in awareness and knowledge, preference and attitude and ultimately behavior surrounding food, farms and nutrition. FTS Program facilitators should consider creating environments and curricula where students consider food a high involvement item in 1ieu of low involvement. In addition, the barriers to nutrition in the current school food system such as pouring rights, unhealthy competitive foods, and time constraints might be more successfully addressed through the creation of school food policies. In conclusion, FTS programs can serve as a leverage point to changing the school food system if they increase student awareness, knowledge, preference, attitudes and behavior surrounding 'food, farms and nutrition'.