Certain Food Aspects of the School Lunch Program in New York City

Gao ID: CED-77-89 June 15, 1977

Statistical sampling techniques were used to estimate the number of school lunches served in New York City that met or failed to meet type A requirements. Four types of lunches--cafeteria style, meal pack, basic (primarily soup and sandwiches), and bulk (prepared food frozen in bulk) were tested between January 10 and February 22, 1977.

Between 40 percent and 45 percent of the cafeteria, meal pack, and bulk lunches and 27 percent of all basic lunches failed to meet the type A nutritional requirements. Many of the lunches were purchased from vendors and assembled into complete lunches by school employees. In such cases, it may be possible for the city to obtain refunds for noncompliance from the vendors. The State has never withheld program funds for noncompliance with type A lunch requirements. In the 1975-1976 school year, the total cost for the New York City lunch program was over $79.4 million, with the Federal Government paying $62 million, the State $2.8 million, and the city $14.6 million.

Recommendations

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