Food preferences of Elementary school children

The present study was undertaken to find out the food preferences of Vinland Elementary School children in Fresno, California. Children of the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades were chosen as subjects because it was found in a pilot study (15) that children in these grades know more foods than do those of first to third grades. The lunch menu of Vinland Elementary School was Type A, which means that it met one-third of the required nutritive values for a day, but whether or not the children actually received one-third of the required daily intake depended on their likes, dislikes, and familiarity with the foods. The findings obtained in this study should help in better planning and serving of food for Vinland School children as well as for other elementary school children. The expectation is that the information will be useful to those engaged in promoting nutritionally sound food habits through the school lunch program. The present study has three specific objectives. 1) To determine the food preferences of elementary school children. 2) To determine the differences in food preferences between boys and girls. 3) To summarize comments from the children regarding the lunches served at Vinland Elementary School.