For children from low-income families, school meals are a significant portion of daily caloric intake and hence an opportunity to address food insecurity. Many states have pursued legislation to institutionalize programs such as farm to school that aim to improve the quality of school meals and acceptance of healthy foods (fruits and vegetables) to address the interconnected problems of food insecurity, hunger, and diet-related diseases. Oregon established its Farm to School Education Grant Program to increase knowledge of and preference for fruits and vegetables among children in low-income school districts. This article outlines the reach of the education grants and examines their influence on children’s food choices and behaviors related to fruits and vegetables. Researchers analyzed Oregon Department of Education Farm to School Baseline and Progress Reports from school year 2015–2016 and conducted interviews with education grantees. Education grants reached more than 20,000 students in 30 districts, including 25 low-income districts. The most reported activities were nutrition and food-based lessons, school gardens, and farm field trips. Thematic results included students eating fruits and vegetables, trying new foods because of gardens, and learning about growing produce. Oregon’s Farm to School Education Grant Program reached the targeted low-income students, encouraged districts to implement educational activities, and allowed low-income children to learn about produce. Education is a core element of farm-to-school success and can help achieve the behavior change in youth needed for increased acceptance of school meals, better health outcomes, and improved food security.
Published: October 2019
ID #: 74129
Journal: Translational Behavioral Medicine
Authors: Rains CB, Giombi KC, Joshi A
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Keywords: Farm, School meal programs
Resource Type: Journal Article
Focus Areas: Nutrition Policy & Programs, School & After School
State: Oregon
Related Research
November 2016
Assessing the Effectiveness of Oregon’s Farm-to-School Program in Providing Locally Grown, Nutritious Foods to Low-Income, Minority Students
In 2011, Oregon passed a Farm to School (F2S) bill which provided significant funding for F2S programs and explicitly prioritized F2S education grants for schools serving lower-income students. The aims of the study are to: 1) assess the effectiveness of Oregon’s F2S policy in increasing schools’ and districts’ perceived access to state funds and program MoreNovember 2024
Experiences with COVID-19 economic relief measures among low-wage worker families: a qualitative study
This study aimed to understand experiences with COVID-19 economic relief measures among low-wage worker households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews from low-wage workers in households with children in two U.S. cities in 2022 (n = 40). The sample was recruited from a larger study which included survey measures MoreNovember 2024