USDA Study: School Kids Eating More Fruits, Vegetables

Washington, DC, March 28, 2013 - Students at elementary schools participating in USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program consumed 15 percent more fruits and vegetables, based on an agriculture department study released today.

The study conducted by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service found that fruit and vegetable consumption increased by a third of a cup among students participating in the program, compared to non-participating students. Increased consumption of fruit accounted for most of the change. The increase in fruit and vegetable consumption through the program doesn’t appear to substantially increase calories in children’s diets.

“These results are very encouraging,” Agriculture Undersecretary Kevin Concannon said. “The Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Program is clearly an excellent way to introduce students to more fruits and vegetables.”

Almost all students tried the fruit and vegetable snacks (97% and 84% of students, respectively); and a substantial majority ate most or all of snacks provided (86% and 61%, respectively), he said. The report describes findings from the evaluation conducted during the 2010–2011 school year.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is popular among schools, students and parents, and effective in increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.

Begun as a pilot in 2002, the program aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among students in the nation’s poorest elementary schools by providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to students outside of regular school meals. The pilot was converted into a nationwide program in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, also known as the Farm Bill.

The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program is part of a package of USDA programs and initiatives designed to combat child hunger and obesity and improve the health and nutrition of the nation's children, a top priority for the Obama Administration.

USDA recently announced proposed new standards to ensure that children K-12 have access to healthy food options. The “Smart Snacks in School” proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on Feb. 8, 2013, is the first step in the process to create national standards mandated by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.

The new proposed standards draw on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, existing voluntary standards already implemented by thousands of schools around the country, and healthy food and beverage offerings already available in the marketplace.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service administers America's nutrition assistance programs including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs, the Summer Food Service Program, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Together these programs make up the federal nutrition safety net.

Find out more about the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and the report and a summary released today.