Feb 13, 2025

Study: School lunch nutritional benefits include starchy vegetables

A recent analysis found school lunches provide more beneficial nutrients than lunches brought from home, regardless of parents’ nutrition knowledge. That’s the key finding from a recent review and meta-analysis, which received funding support from the Alliance for Potato Research & Education.

The review, led by primary investigator Ariun Ishdorj of Texas A&M University, found that improvements to National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have resulted in more nutritious options — including guidance to serve a half cup of starchy vegetables per week, such as potatoes, for all ages. However, about 40% of school children nationwide still bring their lunches from home on any given day, and these lunches are less regulated and not required to meet the same nutrient standards, according to the study.

The analysis also found that, compared to lunches brought from home, NSLP lunches contain:

• Higher amounts of calcium, protein, iron, fi­ber, and vitamin A
• Lower levels of energy, total fat, saturated fat (73% fewer), carbohydrates (66% fewer), and vitamin C
• Higher calorie intakes but lower amounts amount of saturated fat and sodium

Studies were conducted in 13 states involving 18,912 children, with the sample size ranging from 31 to 2,107 children among individual studies.

The original study design focused more on potato consumption; however, due to COVID-19, nutritional data needed to analyze were not available, and the study (.pdf) was altered to take a broader look at the complete NSLP.