Child Nutrition, Collaboration, and Conferences

In November, Grains for Health and the American Association of Cereal Chemists International hosted “School Nutrition – Understanding our Food Supply Chain to Help Improve Child Health,” a workshop evaluating the impact of the supply chain on the nutrition of school meals and potential models for improving the school supply chain.  Click here to download the full summary report. 

Key research findings from the Foundation's child nutrition studies, including the value of a gradual approach to introducing whole grain foods and recommended levels for whole grain flours in school foods, have been cited in the Institute of Medicine’s October report School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children. This report was commissioned to provide information for the new USDA guidelines for child nutrition in schools. The Foundation was also able to present to the committee last spring in Washington D.C.  For a complete copy of GHF related references email Denise Hauge (denise@grainsforhealth.org).

Dr. Renee Rosen and Beth Arndt, ConAgra Foods, have collaborated on a variety of projects relating to school nutrition and increasing whole grain consumption in schools that were referenced by the Institute of Medicine.  Dr. Rosen explains her current work performed in collaboration with Beth Arndt, 

"While working as a postdoctoral research associate I have continued to conduct research related to whole grains. However, my newest research project is focusing on pasta.  We conducted Focus groups with food service directors from the 4 major regions of the U.S. at the School Nutrition Associations Annual National Conference held in Las Vegas this past June [2009].  Specific questions were used to examine the use of pasta products through qualitative and quantitative menu assessments. To further augment this data, individual interviews and focus groups were also conducted with Minnesota Food Service Directors and Food Service Managers.  This initial information will be used to develop a survey pertaining to the benefits and barriers related to pasta (refined, whole wheat or whole grain) and to gather more information about pasta use in schools nationwide.  We are using a pasta plate waste and photo validation technique to help simplify methods for easily assessing whole grain intake in schools.  Digital photographs documenting before and after foods of each child were taken to validate this photo method against the collected plate waste.  This will also be valuable in assessing competition and consumption of foods that are offered vs taken in a reimbursable meal in the National School Lunch Program."