[Food habits of students using school dining rooms in Spain. "Tell Me How You Eat" Study]

To describe food habits of school-aged population having school meals and to evaluate perceived quality of the service.

Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Community School lunchrooms in different Spanish regions.

Random population sample of children and young people (3-16 year) having school meals in Spain.

The study protocol included socio-economical data, food consumption and dietary habits at the school and out of the school. Information was collected by means of two questionnaires: one completed by children at school and a second one completed by the family at home.

Valid response was collected from 322 children and 212 families, a response rate of 96.1% children and 63.3% of the families. 88% of the children reported daily consumption of breakfast, 45% used to have a midmorning snack, which consisted of a sandwich (29%); sweet bakery products (27%) or biscuits (15%). 45% of the 12-16-year-old old group reported eating only half of the portion served at lunch in the school, mainly due to disgusting taste or preparation (50%). In the school menus vegetables and fish were offered less frequently than other food groups. 81% of the children referred having an after-school snack in the afternoon, consisting of a sandwich (65%); bakery products (20%); bread and chocolate (20%); yoghurt or fruit (20%).

School meals provide a wonderful opportunity to widen the variety of foods in the daily diet of children. Recommendations about school meals should address the quality and variety of the foods served for a healthy diet and stress the educational dimension.