What Do Middle School Children Bring in Their Bag Lunches?

The Impact of School Socioeconomic Status on Student Lunch Consumption after Implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy*

“…There are few studies on the quality of meals brought from home by middle school students, and these studies have mixed results. In San Diego middle schools—with about 39% of students eligible for free or reduced‐price meals—lunches brought from home had about 30% of energy from fat 30 . Fruit was brought in almost half of bag lunches, but only 5% included vegetables 30 .…”

Higher Quality Intake From School Lunch Meals Compared With Bagged Lunches

“…Conway et al 23 examined the bag lunch components among middle school students and reported that the most common components were beverages and sandwiches with fruits being more common than vegetables. Results from a survey of the bagged lunch contents among primary school children indicated that 52% of the bagged lunches included fruits or vegetables and 69% of the bagged lunches contained a chocolate bar or biscuits.…”

Is the Balanced School Day Truly Balanced? A Review of the Impacts on Children, Families, and School Food Environments

“…While it is recommended that children eat small amounts of food often, and children who are well nourished are thought to perform better academically, it is not known if 2 dedicated 20‐minute lunch‐like breaks are beneficial. Certainly, foods eaten at school are important contributors to a child's total daily intake; however, studies have shown that packed lunches contain more saturated fat and sodium than school meal program lunches . It is plausible that parents packing for 2 nutrition breaks may provide more food for their children in the BSD and may rely on more processed higher‐calorie convenience foods, resulting in unintended negative health consequences.…”

“…However, the survey question must be interpreted carefully, as it was not a forced‐choice question and 14% of parents chose another response titled “organization” which could include lunch planning, while 56% of parents had no response. Parents who are rushed for time could also resort to packing more prepackaged convenience foods which are often higher in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars …”

“…Parents who are rushed for time could also resort to packing more prepackaged convenience foods which are often higher in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. 20,21 Parents may also have increased costs if they are packing more food, thus it is possible that the BSD could create inequities for low-income families. In Canada, there is no National School Meal program and whereas there are some local ad hoc programs they have limited resources and cannot be relied on for daily meals.…”