Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39763015›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of school health2025

Factors and Outcomes Associated With Using Scratch-Cooked, Organic, and Locally Grown Foods in School Meals in California.

Monica D Zuercher, Dania Orta-Aleman, Caitlin D French, Juliana F W Cohen, Christina A Hecht, Kenneth Hecht, Leah E Chapman, Margaret Read, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, Marlene B Schwartz and 3 more

Abstract read
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Article in The Journal of school health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Monica D ZuercherNutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2758-9807
Dania Orta-AlemanNutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8581-8714
Caitlin D FrenchNutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California, USA.
Juliana F W CohenCenter for Health Inclusion, Research and Practice, Merrimack College, North Andover, Massachusetts, USA.
Christina A HechtNutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California, USA.
Kenneth HechtNutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California, USA.
Leah E ChapmanCenter for Health Inclusion, Research and Practice, Merrimack College, North Andover, Massachusetts, USA.
Margaret ReadPartnership for a Healthier America, Prince Frederick, Maryland, USA.
Punam Ohri-VachaspatiCollege of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Marlene B SchwartzRudd Center for Food Policy & Health, University of Connecticut, Hartford, Connecticut, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8939-1954
Anisha I PatelStanford Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9198-7936
Lorrene D RitchieNutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California, USA.
Wendi GoslinerNutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California, USA.

Funding

State of California
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIncorporating scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods into school meal programs can enhance meal quality and support local food systems.

methods430 California school food authorities were surveyed to (1) evaluate their use of scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods in their programs; (2) identify demographic and operational characteristics related to this use; and (3) analyze the relationship between serving more of these foods and perceived barriers to student meal participation. Poisson and logistic regression models, adjusted for SFAs' demographic characteristics, were used.

resultsMost respondents reported using scratch-cooked (82%) and locally grown foods (80%) in their school meals, with one-third serving organic foods (34%). Receiving grants to buy local produce and having a larger enrollment of White students were associated with more frequent use of these foods. More scratch cooking was associated with higher use of organic and locally grown foods and fewer perceptions of student nonparticipation due to concerns over meal healthfulness, taste, and freshness. More frequent use of organic and locally grown foods was also associated with fewer perceptions of student nonparticipation due to concerns about meal healthfulness.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the potential benefits of integrating more scratch-cooked, organic, and/or locally grown foods into school meals.

Indexed as

CookingFood, OrganicFood ServicesSchoolsAdolescentCaliforniaChildFemaleHumansMaleMealsStudentsSurveys and Questionnaireschild nutritionenvironmental sustainabilityNSLPSBPuniversal school meals

Identifiers

PMID39763015
PMCPMC11860737

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.