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Story
March 3, 1952
The News And Views
Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
For five years, USDA researchers in Beltsville, Md., have developed better school lunch recipes meeting nutritional standards at low cost, cooperating with Washington officials. Their efforts, tested by children, earned a distinguished service award last June.
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WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON (P)-For the five years the program has been in effect, specialists have been working constantly to develop new and better ways to prepare the school lunches served to children throughout the nation at noontime.
Mrs. Margaret D. Dreisbach, advisor on school lunch and institutional research at the U. S. Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Md., says efforts to improve recipes and methods for preparing food in school kitchens are beginning to show results.
Co-operating closely with school lunch officials in the Department of Agriculture in Washington, the researchers work out their recipes in a laboratory which approximates the school kitchen.
They whip up a recipe for a small number of people. A tasting panel tests it for palatability and acceptability. If it is OK, it's worked out for 25 portions, finally upped to 100. Then the recipe is sent out to several schools. The children themselves are the final judge.
In order for the schools to receive reimbursement from Congress, their lunches must meet established requirements set up for a nutritious Type-A meal prescribed in the School Lunch Act.
This calls for two ounces of protein-rich food such as meat, fish, poultry, cheese or one egg, or one-half cup of cooked dry beans, or four teaspoonsful of peanut butter. Also, three-fourths cup of fruit, and/or vegetables, a slice of bread with butter or margarine, and one-half pint of whole milk.
"Now we're working on a relatively low cost main dish which will meet the nutrition requirements and still taste good to the children, because some schools are having difficulty making ends meet," Mrs. Dreisbach said.
"We prepare our materials to help increase the efficiency and keep costs down." Mrs. Dreisbach said. Some 20 different publications had been issued from Beltsville in this effort. Last June the school lunch research unit at Beltsville received the Department of Agriculture distinguished service award.
WASHINGTON (P)-For the five years the program has been in effect, specialists have been working constantly to develop new and better ways to prepare the school lunches served to children throughout the nation at noontime.
Mrs. Margaret D. Dreisbach, advisor on school lunch and institutional research at the U. S. Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Md., says efforts to improve recipes and methods for preparing food in school kitchens are beginning to show results.
Co-operating closely with school lunch officials in the Department of Agriculture in Washington, the researchers work out their recipes in a laboratory which approximates the school kitchen.
They whip up a recipe for a small number of people. A tasting panel tests it for palatability and acceptability. If it is OK, it's worked out for 25 portions, finally upped to 100. Then the recipe is sent out to several schools. The children themselves are the final judge.
In order for the schools to receive reimbursement from Congress, their lunches must meet established requirements set up for a nutritious Type-A meal prescribed in the School Lunch Act.
This calls for two ounces of protein-rich food such as meat, fish, poultry, cheese or one egg, or one-half cup of cooked dry beans, or four teaspoonsful of peanut butter. Also, three-fourths cup of fruit, and/or vegetables, a slice of bread with butter or margarine, and one-half pint of whole milk.
"Now we're working on a relatively low cost main dish which will meet the nutrition requirements and still taste good to the children, because some schools are having difficulty making ends meet," Mrs. Dreisbach said.
"We prepare our materials to help increase the efficiency and keep costs down." Mrs. Dreisbach said. Some 20 different publications had been issued from Beltsville in this effort. Last June the school lunch research unit at Beltsville received the Department of Agriculture distinguished service award.
What sub-type of article is it?
Informational Report
Government Program
What keywords are associated?
School Lunch Program
Nutritional Recipes
Usda Research
Cost Efficiency
Type A Meal
What entities or persons were involved?
Mrs. Margaret D. Dreisbach
Where did it happen?
Beltsville, Md.; Washington
Story Details
Key Persons
Mrs. Margaret D. Dreisbach
Location
Beltsville, Md.; Washington
Event Date
Last June
Story Details
USDA specialists develop improved recipes and methods for school lunches to meet Type-A nutritional requirements while controlling costs; program in effect for five years; research unit receives distinguished service award.