October 8/Law & Health Weekly -- As Congress considers the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which determines federal school food policies and resources, The NPD Group reports that schools are the primary provider of at-school lunches for students. NPD's Lunchtime Mealscape, which explores the drivers of lunchtime food and beverage choices, finds that approximately 64% of lunches are school provided, 28% are carried from home, and 8% are obtained from other sources.
According to NPD's Lunchtime Mealscape, the top school prepared foods and beverages consumed by kids, ages 6 to 12, are milk, sandwiches (including burgers and hot dogs), fruit and fruit salad, pizza, chicken, French fries, tap water, and cookies.