Browsing by Subject "Portion size"
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Item Increasing portion sizes of fruits and vegetables in an elementary school lunch program can increase fruit and vegetable consumption(2013-06) Miller, Nicole EileenChildren in the United States are not eating enough fruits and vegetables, but the school environment via the National School Lunch Program can be used as a conduit to increase consumption of these items. Our study focused on increasing portion sizes of fruit and vegetable side dishes because increasing portion size is one of the few methods that has been shown to increase consumption among children. This was accomplished using two similar menus, with a control and two experimental days for each type of menu. Children generally did not take a vegetable serving, 16% at best (for carrots). The proportion of students taking a fruit serving was highest at 54% for students taking oranges. For students taking fruits and vegetables, average consumption for all fruits and vegetables combined was increased by 17 grams during experimental days when comparing the combined control versus the combined experimental days. Children always ate significantly more fruit during the experimental days when compared to control days; this was not always true for vegetables. Our study implies that an increase in portion size can be used in a school setting to increase consumption of fruit. It can also be used to increase vegetable consumption, but vegetable consumption during our experimental days was not always significantly higher than the vegetable consumption on control days. Increasing portion size will likely only be worth the additional cost for nutrient vegetables or fruits as they contribute a more substantial amount of micronutrients.Item Providing flexible food portions in a restaurant setting: Impact on business operations, food consumption and food waste(2015-04) Berkowitz, Sarah ElizabethLarge portion sizes in restaurants have been identified as a public health risk.The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of adding reduced-portion menu items to the menu on customer selection, energy and nutrient intake, plate waste and business operations. A field experiment was conducted to examine the impact of offering flexible portion sizes in 2 food service environments: a cafeteria setting and a sit-down restaurant setting in St. Paul MN. Patrons were surveyed at the beginning and end of the study to assess current usage, dining needs and frequency of healthful behaviors. Purchasing, consumption and food waste data were collected throughout the study. Reduced sized portions were added to the menus halfway through the study in the spring of 2013. The management teams were interviewed at the completion of the study. Sales data show that reduced-portion entrees made up 10-30% of entrée sales across both food service environments. Energy and nutrient intakes decreased and food waste was reduced at both locations. The management teams both reported the added items provided higher profit margins or cost savings and improved customer satisfaction. Both locations have implemented the menu changes indefinitely. These outcomes could serve as the foundation for future work with reduced-portion sized menu items in different types of restaurant settings to promote public health.