TST BOCES: Tompkins County Healthy School Meals Research and Implementation Project

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
This pilot study will generate the first systematic evidence on contaminant levels in National
School Lunch Program meals and an initial assessment of how menu composition affects
contaminant exposure. By implementing a rigorous pre-post intervention design, the research
will advance scientific understanding of whether food processing levels directly impact
contaminant burden in institutional food service settings. The study will also contribute novel
data on the feasibility and effectiveness of large-scale menu transitions in institutional settings.
The evaluation of whole food menu implementation using scratch-cooking practices will provide
insights into optimal transition strategies and identify key barriers and facilitators for sustainable
program changes.
A primary goal of this research is to measure the current levels of contaminants and UPFs in
school meals and to offer effective strategies that promote the inclusion of fresh, whole, and
minimally processed foods. We offer a new methodology utilizing a standardized instrument (a
“scratch cooking worksheet”) to understand an SFA’s current position along the scratch-cooking
continuum as a proxy measure for the availability of UPFs, thereby prioritizing a solutions-based
approach. The current research on both UPFs and scratch cooking in schools is nascent; if we
are successful, we will address a critical gap in knowledge about the current prevalence of
UPFs in school meals as well as offer a new methodology for measuring scratch cooking that
can be replicated across more districts, states, and nationally.
The Chef Ann Foundation (CAF), a non-profit dedicated to promoting whole-ingredient,
scratch-cooking in schools, will support Tompkins Seneca Tioga Board of Cooperative
Educational Services (TST BOCES) with project implementation. TST BOCES operates one site
that participates in the National School Lunch Program, serving up to 300 students. TST
BOCES has partnered with CAF through the Tompkins County School Food Reboot, an initiative
supporting six districts in Tompkins County, New York, to transition to scratch-cooked school
food operations. UPFs and contaminants will be measured at baseline assessment and in
post-evaluation. The district will receive technical assistance from CAF to complete menu
transitions to scratch-cooked offerings in the 2025-2026 school year, with midpoint adjustments
made based on first-semester results and challenges. A final report will demonstrate the
operational improvements made by the district in moving toward more whole foods. Additionally,
results from the pre-post assessment will inform the larger study to assess UPFs and
contaminants in school meals.

Grant Number: 1U18FD008665-01
NIH Institute/Center: FDA
Principal Investigator: Belinda Adams