Nutrient content of school lunches and packed lunches as consumed by elementary school students

This study compared nutrient content and intake of student school and home-packed lunches. Food intake was estimated by weighing the food and leftovers of 114 elementary school children. Eighty-one percent (n = 92) consumed school lunches and nineteen percent (n = 22) consumed packed lunches. A nutrient analysis was conducted using Nutritionist V. Significant differences between the two types of lunch were determined using ANOVA and Tukeys Test (HSD.UEN), p \u3c 0.05.;School lunches were nutritionally superior (p \u3c 0.01) for protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B 12, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and dietary fiber; (p \u3c 0.05) for calcium and niacin.;After considering food waste, intake from school lunch remained significantly higher (p \u3c 0.01) for vitamin D, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc; (p \u3c 0.05) for riboflavin, vitamin B 6, folate, and calcium.;It was also noted that intake of milk and other dairy foods was higher (p \u3c 0.01) from school lunches