School meals: planning, production, distribution, and adequacy

Objective. To evaluate the planning, production, distribution, and nutritional adequacy of meals served at city schools. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2011 and April 2012 and included a representative sample (n = 42 schools) of extended shift city schools from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Five meals from each school were randomly selected and analyzed by direct weighing. Production indicators and nutritional adequacy were evaluated in contrast to the recommendations of the city food security bureau and the Brazilian National Program of School Meals (PNAE). Results. Seventy-nine percent of the analyzed meals did not meet the recommendations of the city food security bureau. The rate of waste (food left on plates) was acceptable at 4,90%, but the rates of cooked and not served food (7,06%) and counter leftovers (5,30%) were high. Both the city planned meals and the meals served in the schools were nutritionally inadequate in terms of the PNAE, particularly for children aged 11-15 years. There was a relationship between consumption by school staff and the amount of food that was cooked (r = 0.353; P < 0.001) and the rate of cooked and not served food (r = 0.138; P = 0.045). Waste was positively correlated with the rate of counter leftovers (r = 0.145; P = 0.035), and inversely correlated with fiber intake (r = -0.143; P = 0.038). Conclusions. The results indicate the importance of monitoring the planning, production, and distribution of school meals and of food and nutrition education in order to improve the quality of food and to reduce waste in schools.