The Relationship of à la Carte Revenues to the Implementation of School Nutrition Standards

Wellness policies have been mandatory in school nutrition programs since fall of 2006. This legislation requires schools to decrease less nutritious "competitive foods" offered on à la carte menus. This article investigated the impact of implementing state nutrition standards on à la carte revenues of school nutrition programs in a northeastern state. Results suggest that offering single-serving sizes and whole grain foods are associated with higher revenues. However, given the limited time series data, it is premature to verify the impact of nutrition standards on à la carte revenue. This paper recommends that schools improve the consistency and accuracy of financial reports.