School lunch menus have gotten a lot healthier since the days of mystery meat and juice cocktails made of sweet powdered blends, but does that really mean your kids are eating well? Find out the statistics in the infographic below. You’ll be surprised by how much of your child’s lunch could be going to waste.
- Infographic Design: Sherzod Max
- Cohen JF, Richardson S, Austin SB, Economos CD, Rimm EB. (2013, February). School lunch waste among middle school students: implications for nutrients consumed and food waste costs. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 44(2):114-121.
- Cohen JF, Richardson S, Parker E, Catalano P, Rimm EB. (2014, April). Impact of the New US Department of Agriculture School Meal Standards on Food Selection, Consumption, and Waste. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 46(4): 388-394.
- Healthychildren.org. (2015, August 20). Vitamin Supplements and Children.
- Park, Alice. (2015, September 28). Confused About Fat and Heart Disease? This Study Explains Why. Time, Inc.
- Smith SL & Cunningham-Sabo L. (2014, June). Food choice, plate waste and nutrient intake of elementary- and middle school students participating in the US National School Lunch Program. Public Health Nutrition.
- USDA. (2013, September). National School Lunch Program Fact Sheet.
- USDA. (2012, January 26). Comparison of Previous and Current Regulatory Requirements under Final Rule “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs”.
- USDA. (2013). Offer Versus Serve – Guidance for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. School Year 2013-2014.
- Welch, Ashley. (2015, August 25). School Lunch Fruits and Veggies Often Tossed in Trash, Study Finds. CBS News.
- World Heart Federation. (2015). Types of Heart Disease Observed in Children and Adolescents.