School Food Programs

Research conducted over the last four years, suggests that environmental factors and school policies are associated with under consumption of healthy foods. LPHI, HSFC, and Propeller piloted low cost policies and environmental interventions designed to promote consumption of healthy school lunch among New Orleans public school students. Findings have provided valuable evidence to inform policy and system changes related to school food administration and practices.

During the Fall of 2015, LPHI partnered with Pew Charitable Trust to host a statewide summit with representatives from government, community-based organizations, schools, food service industries and research institutions across Louisiana to discuss effective ways of creating healthier school environments. The  results of The PEW Charitable Trust's 2015 Louisiana public opinion research poll about school food were released at this event. Results of the poll showed that 68 percent of respondents in Louisiana support requiring public schools to meet the national nutrition standards for foods sold in school and an overwhelming majority of respondents support schools meeting the national nutrition standards for school snacks.

The Louisiana Department of Health’s Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has partnered with LPHI to assess current food-based fundraising practices in schools and to develop a roadmap on implementing healthy food-based fundraising. Findings from the assessment revealed challenges and success stories on creative strategies to ensure the healthiest foods are being sold in school. The Roadmap to Healthy Fundraising in Louisiana Schools was released in the fall of 2016 and is available here.