The National Evaluation of School Nutrition Programs: program impact on family food expenditures

Since the major goals of the school nutrition programs are to safeguard the health of children by providing nutritious meals and to promote consumption of domestic agricultural products, it is important to know the extent to which participation in the school nutrition programs increases the value of food obtained by participating families. The analysis of the factors that influence family food expenditures is described. No evidence is found that families reduce their other food expenditures in response to their children's participation in the school nutrition programs. The most important factors that influence family food expenditures are family size and income. The age of children in the family, location of the family, and educational attainment and employment status of heads of household also affect food expenditures.