Caregiver Perceptions of USDA Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meals for Children in California

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health Policy
• Sociology

Background:

• The United States Congress amended the National School Lunch Act in 2023 to permit non-congregate meal service in rural areas.
• This legislative change established the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) option known as "SUN Meals To-Go" for rural communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore caregiver perceptions of USDA rural non-congregate summer meal programs in California.
• To understand the experiences of families utilizing the SUN Meals To-Go program during Summer 2024.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, cross-sectional study utilizing an electronic 20-item survey in English and Spanish.
• Data collection involved 827 caregivers reached via school foodservice directors in California.
• Conventional content analysis of open-ended responses and descriptive statistics for closed-ended items.

Main Results:

• The majority of caregivers (85.5%) were women, primarily married (70.5%) and Hispanic/Latino (54.3%).
• Over half of participants (55%) reported frequent use of the program.
• Key themes identified were family support, resource relief, program accessibility, logistics, food quality, nutrition, and sustainability.

Conclusions:

• Caregivers reported significant family support and financial resource relief from the SUN Meals To-Go program.
• Program accessibility and logistics were perceived as effective, with suggestions for improvement.
• Participants affirmed the program's positive impact on children's nutrition and meal practicality.