How to Help Parents Pack Better Preschool Sack Lunches: Advice from Parents for Educators

Overview

Journal J Nutr Educ Behav

Publisher Elsevier

Date 2011 May 10

PMID 21550534

Citations 7

Authors

Sara J Sweitzer

Margaret E Briley

Cindy Roberts-Gray

Deanna M Hoelscher

Deanna M Staskel

Fawaz D Almansour

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: This exploratory study obtained parent suggestions about messages and activities to guide parents to pack healthful sack lunches for preschool-aged children.

Methods: A facilitator conducted group interviews using a modified nominal group technique with a convenience sample of parents who pack daily lunches for their children. Interviews took place after hours at child care centers in group settings. Investigators reviewed written statements for common themes then calculated frequencies of references to identified themes.

Results: In total, 31 parents participated in 3 group interviews held at 3 centers. Interest in receiving written information and in activities stimulating parent interaction were dominant themes in 29% of the comments. Workshops and activity stations were suggested in 20% of the comments. Finally, recommendations for support from local supermarkets were present in 10% of the comments.

Conclusions And Implications: Parents provided helpful suggestions that can guide nutrition educators to implement effective program messages and strategies.

Citing Articles

Packed School Lunch Food Consumption: A Childhood Plate Waste Nutrient Analysis.

Thomas J, Hanson D, Chinnan-Pothen A, Freaney C, Silverman J Nutrients. 2023; 15(5).

PMID: 36904116 PMC: 10004809. DOI: 10.3390/nu15051116.

Preschool and School Meal Policies: An Overview of What We Know about Regulation, Implementation, and Impact on Diet in the UK, Sweden, and Australia.

Lucas P, Patterson E, Sacks G, Billich N, Evans C Nutrients. 2017; 9(7).

PMID: 28696403 PMC: 5537850. DOI: 10.3390/nu9070736.

Nutritional Intervention to Improve the Quality of Lunchboxes Among Mexican School Children.

Diaz-Ramirez G, Jimenez-Cruz A, Bacardi-Gascon M J Community Health. 2016; 41(6):1217-1222.

PMID: 27240816 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-016-0207-5.

Efficacy of the Lunch is in the Bag intervention to increase parents' packing of healthy bag lunches for young children: a cluster-randomized trial in early care and education centers.

Roberts-Gray C, Briley M, Ranjit N, Byrd-Williams C, Sweitzer S, Sharma S Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2016; 13:3.

PMID: 26746876 PMC: 4706656. DOI: 10.1186/s12966-015-0326-x.

Dietary Quality of Preschoolers' Sack Lunches as Measured by the Healthy Eating Index.

Romo-Palafox M, Ranjit N, Sweitzer S, Roberts-Gray C, Hoelscher D, Byrd-Williams C J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015; 115(11):1779-88.

PMID: 26190228 PMC: 4628578. DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2015.05.017.

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