WISCONSIN PREVENTION OF OBESITY AND DIABETES

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – MADISON

Wisconsin Farm to School: One year evaluation report 

Tara L. LaRowe1, 2, Andrea B. Bontrager Yoder1,3, Amanda Knitter4, Amy Meinen1,4 , 

Janice L. Liebhart1,4, and Dale Schoeller1,3 

University of Wisconsin – Madison 1Wisconsin Prevention of Obesity and Diabetes, 

Departments of 2

Family Medicine and 3Nutritional Sciences, and 4Wisconsin Department 

of Health Services, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Program. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This analysis and report are based on data collected by the staff and members of the 

AmeriCorps Farm to School programs in Wisconsin. The UW-Madison Wisconsin Prevention of Obesity and 

Diabetes is a contractor of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services under which this report was issued. 

The Wisconsin Farm to School evaluation was developed, in part, by the authors as well as many others 

including: Sara Tedeschi, Dan McCarty, Sarah Combs, and Alicia Dill. Thank you to Camilla Vargas, Wisconsin 

Department of Trade, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection, the Wisconsin AmeriCorps members, and Doug 

Wubben for assistance in coordinating data collection, site visits, and school Memorandum of Agreements. 

Additionally, thank you to Julia Thorsen and Laura Vian for their assistance in data entry and data analysis. 

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

With obesity rates increasing in large proportions among US children, it is necessary to 

identify effective strategies that create supportive environments to improve healthy lifestyle 

behaviors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified improvement 

of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption as a key obesity prevention strategy. A school meal is a 

prime opportunity to establish this supportive environment for healthy eating through 

increased access to and consumption of fresh FV. Comprehensive Farm to School (F2S) 

programs aim to further develop children’s understanding of nutrition and agriculture through 

educational activities such as school gardening, produce taste-testing, and farm field trips. 

The purpose of this research is to report on the first evaluations from the state-wide 

Wisconsin AmeriCorps F2S program. The aims of this report are to describe: 1) baseline 

overweight and obesity prevalence, 2) changes in knowledge and attitudes pertaining to food, 

nutrition, agriculture and FV consumption, and 3) FV availability and consumption during school 

lunch meals. 1,191 students participated in evaluation for the academic year of 2010-2011 at 

the nine Wisconsin AmeriCorps F2S program sites. Of these schools, two schools were new to 

F2S and others had one (n=2), two (n=4) or three (n=4) previous year(s) of F2S programming. 

Baseline evaluations took place in Fall 2010 and follow-up evaluations in Spring 2011. 

At baseline, the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was 39.1%, almost 4% 

higher than the national average for children this age. Students’ knowledge and attitudes on 

food, nutrition and agriculture generally increased over the year. Schools with previous F2S 

programming showed higher scores, compared to schools new to F2S, both at baseline and at 

follow-up. Results from the lunch tray photo observations (LTPO) showed little or no FV on 

students’ lunch trays at schools new to F2S and the highest number of FV on trays at schools 

with more than one year of F2S programming. Results from this first report show that F2S 

increases knowledge and attitudes as well as consumption of FV among children through 

improved access to FV in school lunches. Improvements in student behaviors tended to 

increase incrementally with more years of F2S programming. This implies that F2S programs 

may have gradual, yet sustaining positive impacts on student health behaviors. 

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Future analysis will expand on these conclusions and delve deeper to identify what 

additional factors positively impact student health. Further coding of stakeholder interviews 

and self-reported challenges and opportunities will help inform recommendations for best F2S 

program practices and policies. Upcoming reports will better capture school, community and 

economic benefits of these programs. 

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BACKGROUND 

The Problem. Recent statistics (2007-2008) indicate that 12.5 million children (17%) between 

the ages of 2 and 17 are obese with an additional 15% classified as overweight.1 Among 

children between ages of 6 and 11 years, 19.8% were obese in 2008 compared to 4.2% in 1963. 

The growing concern regarding this trend has resulted in many nationally recognized 

campaigns, such as the Let’s Move campaign, rolled out by First Lady Michelle Obama, and 

National Football League’s Play 60. 

Obesity rates among Wisconsin children are slightly better than those nationally, but the 

differences are generally not large. In 2009, approximately 23% of Wisconsin high school 

students were overweight or obese.

2 13.8% of children ages 2 to 4 participating in the Women, 

Infants and Children (WIC) are obese and 16.7% are overweight.3 Childhood obesity has been 

linked to the development of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, 

cancer, and type II diabetes at an increased rate and at an earlier age.4 Because childhood 

obesity predicts obesity in adulthood,5-8 the risk for obesity-related health problems and 

diseases also increases later in life. 

With obesity rates occurring among all aged children, it is evident that obesity prevention 

efforts must start early. The causes of excess weight in children are multi-factorial, but most 

consider poor nutrition and lack of physical activity as major causes. During early childhood, 

adequate nutrition is important for growth and development, but excess nutrition is linked to 

obesity.9 In general, US children are not meeting national dietary and physical activity 

recommendations.10,11 In this regard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has 

identified increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption as a key obesity prevention 

strategy.12 In Wisconsin, only 20% of high school students eat the recommended daily amounts 

of FV, while sugar intakes and consumption of high energy density snack foods are high.2 With 

children spending a large proportion of the day in school, the school setting provides an 

important opportunity to improve children’s health and nutrition environment. 

Background. Farm to School (F2S) programs have been identified by the CDC as one of the 

recommended strategies to prevent obesity in the United States.13 F2S programs incorporate 

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locally grown foods into school meal and snack programs by encouraging schools to buy directly 

from local growers. Implementation of these programs varies widely, but most comprehensive 

F2S programs include the following components in addition to local procurement: 1) nutrition 

and agriculture education 2) school gardening and 3) student engagement activities such as 

food taste-testing and farm field trips. 

Although the primary aim for F2S is to improve student health and eating behaviors, F2S 

may have additional benefits that can impact schools, local producers and communities. 

Schools report a 3 – 16% increase in meal participation when farm-fresh food is served that can 

help support diminishing school meal budgets.

14 Farmers may have better income stability and 

may even see increased revenues as schools are a guaranteed market. Overall, more dollars 

spent locally could provide opportunities for community economic development. 

In Wisconsin, a coalition of state agencies, non-profit organizations and local partners have 

been dedicated to establishing the F2S concept. The establishment of the AmeriCorps Farm to 

School Program in 2008 was a major benchmark, as it was the first funded initiative within the 

Wisconsin F2S movement. This program provides direct training and technical assistance for 

F2S implementation by pairing AmeriCorps members at school sites interested in starting or 

maintaining a F2S program. The popularity of this program exceeds its funding capacity. Each 

year there are many more schools that apply than can be funded. 

In 2010, the Wisconsin legislature passed a statewide F2S Bill (Assembly Bill 746) that laid 

infrastructure to further support the growth of F2S across the state. This legislation created a 

statewide position for a F2S Coordinator and established a F2S Advisory Council. This council is 

a formal body of state and local partners charged with the responsibility to expand and improve 

F2S policy. The Wisconsin F2S movement continues to expand and gain momentum. 

While a growing number of Wisconsin farmers and school districts are implementing F2S, 

there is only limited evaluations of the effectiveness and impact of such programs in relation to 

improved health and economic benefits. Specifically, little is known about the direct 

relationship of strategies that increase access to FV and their ability to increase consumption. 

Therefore, this evaluation aims to bridge this assessment gap through an extensive evaluation 

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of nine Wisconsin AmeriCorps F2S sites. In this first-year report, we present findings on the 

prevalence of overweight and obesity, the impact of F2S on students’ knowledge of 

food/nutrition and agriculture, their exposure to and liking of various FV, and observed 

consumption of FV during school lunches. Reported FV within students’ total diet as well as 

local economic impact of F2S programs will also be evaluated along with qualitative assessment 

of the barriers and opportunities for F2S implementation. 

METHODS 

The aims of the WI F2S evaluation are to examine the effectiveness of F2S programs on 

students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors with respect to nutrition, health, and food 

systems, while simultaneously increasing understanding the dynamics surrounding F2S program 

implementation. Secondary aims are to document current rates of overweight and obesity and 

dietary behaviors in a cohort of school-aged children living in Wisconsin, as there is little statelevel data available for children ages 6-12 years. Objectives for the Wisconsin F2S evaluation 

reports are to: 1) describe current program activities, 2) assess student health indicators, 3) 

describe challenges and opportunities, and 4) assess the potential economic impact on local 

communities. In this first F2S report, student demographic and health behaviors are reported. 

Participating Schools. Nine AmeriCorps F2S sites participated in the statewide F2S evaluation. 

Two schools are new to F2S while others have one (n=2), two (n=4), or three (n=1) previous 

years of F2S programming. From these schools, a total of 1,191 children with an average age of 

9.6 years participated in the evaluation at baseline. Of these children, 53.1% were male and 

80.9% were white/Caucasian. Detailed F2S student and site characteristics are found in 

Appendix A (Table 1). Prior to participation, each school site signed a Memorandum of 

Understanding (Appendix B) that outlined expectations and responsibilities for the school’s 

participation in the evaluation, for which they received an incentive honorarium. 

Design. Baseline and follow-up measures were collected in participating F2S sites in the 

academic year of 2010-2011. Baseline measures were conducted in September 2010 prior to 

F2S programming activities and follow-up measures were collected in May and June of 2011. 

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Measures and Tools. Measures and resources used in the Wisconsin F2S evaluation were 

largely adapted and modified from the Farm to School Evaluation Toolkit, developed by the 

Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the University of North Carolina at 

Chapel Hill.15 

Data Collection. Data collection was conducted by AmeriCorps members at each site. 

AmeriCorps members received one, four-hour training on measurement protocols prior to 

baseline data collection (September 2010). These members received ongoing technical 

assistance from the F2S evaluation team and were provided with a timeline for implementation 

of evaluation activities. When needed, AmeriCorps members enlisted and trained community 

volunteers to assist in data collection. Actual implementation among sites varied due to 

scheduling and/or technical difficulties. 

Student Measures. Student health behaviors and attitudes were assessed at baseline (Fall 

2010), prior to F2S activities, and at follow-up, or the end of the academic year (Spring 2011). 

For student measures, all individual information was de-identified by AmeriCorps members by 

assigning a unique identification number to be used throughout the evaluation. See Appendix 

A, Table 2 for a summary of student physical and health behavior measures collected from each 

participating F2S site. 

Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) 

Six schools participated in measuring student heights and weights. Schools were 

instructed to measure heights and weights according to To Weigh and Measure, created by 

the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WI DHS) (Appendix C). BMI percentiles and 

classifications for overweight and obesity were calculated using CDC guidelines.

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Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs 

The Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (KA) assesses children’s knowledge of nutrition and 

food systems, exposure to FV, liking and willingness to try FV. This survey was adapted and 

modified from previous survey instruments evaluating the United States Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Snack Program. 17,18 Six constructs were 

identified in the 60-item questionnaire and composite scores were calculated. These 

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constructs included: 1) Knowledge of food, nutrition and agriculture, 2) Attitudes toward 

liking and trying new FV, 3) Perception and self-efficacy for eating healthy, 4) Exposure to 

previously tasted FV, 5) Liking of the FV that they reported having tasted, and 6) Willingness 

to try the FV that they reported not having tasted. The survey, along with construct scoring 

details, is found in Appendix D. This survey was administered by AmeriCorps members to 

children in grades three, four, and five. Eight schools completed the survey via computer 

and one school completed the survey in paper format. 

Diet Behaviors 

Student diet behaviors were assessed through a Lunch Tray Photo Observation (LTPO). 

Eight schools participated in the LTPO. Four days of observations (consecutive days, when 

possible) were conducted at baseline and at follow-up. Digital photos were taken of 

students’ numbered lunch trays before and after students consumed their meal. Side-byside paired trays were assessed for: 1) FV selection and variety of different FV, 2) amount of 

FV on student’s trays (reported as cups of FV), and 3) consumption of FV (as a percentage of 

FV on tray that disappeared). For the latter, the fraction of each FV item consumed was 

visually categorized by one evaluator as 100, 75, 50, 25 or 0%. FV identified from the 

photographs were verified against the schools’ menus. Estimated serving sizes were 

provided by food service directors through a brief phone interview at the start of the school 

year. Trays that could not be paired or were too blurry were excluded from the analysis 

(n~238, estimated). A complete protocol of the LTPO is described in Appendix E. 

Data Analysis. All analyses were performed with SAS software (version 9.2, SAS Inc., Cary, NC). 

Descriptive statistics (mean and SD) were used to assess baseline and follow-up student 

measures. All variables were examined with regard to their distributional properties by visual 

inspection and assessment of kurtosis and skew. 

Differences in student outcomes between baseline and follow-up measures were 

evaluated using mean difference t tests, matched pairs t tests (n=894 student pairs), and 

Tukey’s test using general linear modeling (GLM). The GLM procedure uses least square means 

to fit general linear model and was used to determine partial correlations of variables. 

Preliminary student-level analyses revealed significant differences among students with one or 

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more years of previous F2S programming, therefore subsequent analyses using the PROC 

MIXED procedure for pair-wise multiple comparisons was used controlling for grade and 

baseline student health behavior measure value. An alpha level of 0.5 was set for all 

significance testing. 

RESULTS 

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity. At baseline, 655 children from six F2S sites provided 

height and weight data. Figure 1 shows the BMI-for-age-and-gender distribution according to 

weight status categories of healthy (< 85th percentile), overweight (≥85th to < 95th percentile) 

and obese (≥ 95th percentile) among students participating in F2S and from a nationally 

representative sample of US children age 6 to 11 years. 60.9% of children participating in the 

Wisconsin F2S were of healthy weight, while 15.6% were overweight and 23.5% were obese. 

The distribution was similar between genders (data not shown). Compared to national data, 

children from the Wisconsin sample were more overweight and obese. 

Figure 1. BMI distribution among students participating in F2S Evaluations (n=655 students, n=6 

schools) and from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-20081 

Student Fruit and Vegetable Knowledge and Attitudes (KA) 

Baseline and follow-up results for the six constructs measuring student’s knowledge and 

attitudes on FV are shown in Figures 2a-f (schools: n=9; students: n=1,013 baseline; n=1,014 

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follow-up). These figures are shown by the full sample and by previous years of F2S. Complete 

data tables are shown in Appendix F. At baseline, on average, students were 78% accurate on 

questions related to food and agriculture (Figure 2a). 

* 

** 

* 

* 

For Figures 2a-f, * alone signifies that the group is significantly different than both other groups. * with a line 

stretching across two or three groups signifies that the groups under the line are significantly different. **, in 

follow-up, signifies that the group is significantly different from its baseline counterpart and † represents ≥ 2 

prior years is significantly different than 0 prior years. 

Students scored an average of 73% on the Attitudes scale for liking or trying new FV (Figure 2b) 

and 58% on the Perception/Self-efficacy scale for eating healthy (Figure 2c). 

** 

* 

* 

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** 

* 

Figure 2d shows that students were exposed to 83% of the FV surveyed. Of the exposed FV, 

students responded liking them 82% of the time (Figure 2e). 

** 

* 

* 

* 

† 

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Students were also 46% willing (“yes” or “maybe”) to taste the FV they had not previously 

tasted (Figure 2f). Lastly, students in schools with previous years of F2S versus those new to 

F2S scored more favorably at baseline for attitudes and exposure. 

** 

* 

At follow-up evaluations, scores improved among students in schools with previous 

years of F2S for questions probing Knowledge (Figure 2a), Attitudes (Figure 2b), FV Exposure 

(Figure 2d), and FV Willingness as a percentage of FV not previously eaten and/or tried (Figure 

2f). Furthermore, improvements among these constructs were significant among those schools 

with one previous year of F2S. Perception/self-efficacy decreased slightly from baseline to 

follow-up (Figure 2c) and no significant change was observed for FV liking as a percentage of FV 

previously eaten and/or tried (Figure 2e). 

Lunch Tray Photo Observation (LTPO). The LTPO for baseline evaluations yielded 2,214 paired 

trays of before and after lunch consumption. At baseline evaluations, an average of 1.4 FV was 

observed on lunch trays (Figure 3a). Student trays from schools with one or more previous 

years of F2S had significantly more FV on the tray compared to schools new to F2S (1.5 vs. 0.9, 

respectively, p < 0.05). Similar trends were observed for cups of FV observed as well as FV 

consumption. Figure 3b shows an average of 0.53 cups of FV was selected/served on students’ 

trays and 0.37 cups were consumed (Figure 3c). Schools with one or more prior years of F2S 

were observed to have more cups and consumption of FV versus schools new to F2S. 

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Figures 3a-c. Baseline LTPO evaluation: Number, amount, and consumption of FV and by years in F2S 

* 

For Figures 3a-c, * with a line stretching across two or three groups signifies that the groups under the line are 

significantly different. 

* 

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* 

The LTPO data was further analyzed to describe the percent of trays containing different 

numbers of FV and by amounts consumed. Figures 4a and 4b show these results by previous 

years in F2S. Figure 4a shows that a higher percentage of trays from schools new to F2S had no 

FV (34.0%) versus trays from schools with previous F2S programming (11.5%). Likewise, a 

higher proportion of trays with no FV consumption (Figure 4b) was observed among schools 

new to F2S (39.1%) than among schools with one or more prior years (19.5%). Furthermore, 

trays showing the highest FV consumption came from schools with one or more previous years 

of F2S (41.2%) versus schools new to F2S (24.1%). 

* 

* 

* 

For Figures 4a-b, * with a line stretching across two or three groups signifies that the groups under the line are 

significantly different. 

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CONCLUSION 

Results from this one year evaluation show that obesity prevalence is 23.5% among 

Wisconsin children in grades 3rd through 5th compared to the national average of 19.6% for 6-11 

year olds.

1 

Food and agriculture knowledge at baseline was relatively high, but students’ scores did 

improve during the 2010-2011 F2S program. Grade level was a significant factor to knowledge 

scores and the number of previous years in the F2S program also positively impacted scores. At 

baseline, Attitudes for liking, trying, and tasting FV increased as the number of years in F2S 

programming increased. 

Attitudes scores improved from baseline to follow-up, particularly among students in 

schools that had participated in one or two previous years of F2S. Exposure to FV (tasting) also 

increased from baseline to follow-up. However, these results may not reflect actual F2S impact 

on FV exposure, but rather on the types of FV that were on the survey. This may be due to 

discrepancies between FV specified on the KA survey and FV introduced as part of the F2Scurricula. Willingness to try not-yet-eaten FV increased from baseline to follow-up. 

The most significant changes regarding student knowledge and attitudes about food, 

agriculture and FV occurred among students in schools in their second year of F2S 

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programming. These results are similar to other programs promoting FV to school-aged 

children that also showed increases in student willingness to try new FV17,18 and preferences 

and attitudes towards trying, liking and tasting FV.18 Being willing to try FV is the first step 

toward liking FV, and liking FV is a step in the direction of choosing FV over energy-dense, 

nutrient-poor foods, which may contribute to overweight and obesity. 

The LTPO baseline results show that students new to F2S have smaller amounts and less 

variety of FV on their lunch trays and consume less FV overall. In particular, more than twice 

the percent of trays among new schools have no FV and indicate no consumption of school 

lunch FV in comparison with schools with one or more prior years of F2S programming. The 

converse is also true: almost twice the percent of trays have high FV variety and consumption 

for schools with one or more prior years compared with new schools. 

Students with at least one year of prior F2S choose a greater variety of FV and consume 

more than students who had zero previous years of F2S. This is most likely due to greater FV 

access and availability to students during lunch, resulting in selecting more FV and eating more. 

These results also indicate that F2S programs may have a significant impact on FV consumption 

among children whose diets include little or no FV. 

In conclusion, results from this report indicate that Wisconsin F2S programs favorably 

impact third- through fifth-graders’ attitudes, knowledge, and food behaviors, and that 

improvements were particularly observed among students in schools with one previous year of 

F2S programming. Improvements in student behaviors tended to increase incrementally with 

more years of F2S programming. This implies that F2S programs may have gradual, yet 

sustaining positive impacts on student health behaviors. 

Future reports for the Wisconsin F2S evaluation will address baseline and follow-up changes 

of student behaviors including LTPO and student FV consumption, measured via food frequency 

questionnaires. Furthermore, future reports will examine other key objectives for the 

Wisconsin F2S evaluation to ascertain whether additional factors positively impact student 

health or school/community. These factors include F2S program activities, challenges and 

opportunities for implementing and sustaining F2S programs, and local economic growth. 

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2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Surveillance

Summaries, June 4, 2010. MMWR 2010; 59(No. SS-5)

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Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2009.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/pednss.htm.

4. Office of the Surgeon General. The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation. Rockville,

MD, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010.

5. Guo SS, Chumlea WC. Tracking of body mass index in children in relation to overweight in

adulthood .American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999;70:S145–148.

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childhood BMI to adult adiposity: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics2005;115:22–27.

7. Freedman D, Wang J, Thornton JC, et al. Classification of body fatness by body mass index-for-age

categories among children. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 2009;163:801–811.

8. Freedman DS, Khan LK, Dietz WH, Srinivasan SA, Berenson GS. Relationship of childhood obesity to

coronary heart disease risk factors in adulthood: the Bogalusa Heart

Study. Pediatrics 2001;108:712–718.

9. Ernst ND, Obarzanek E. Child health and nutrition: Obesity and high blood cholesterol. Prev Med

1994;23:427-436.

10. Nicklas TA, Baranowski T, Cullen KW, Berenson G. Eating patterns, dietary quality and obesity. J Am

Coll Nutr 2001;20:599-608.

11. Krebs-Smith SM, Cook A, Subar AF, Cleveland L, Friday J, Kahle LL. Fruit and vegetable intakes of

children and adolescents in the United States. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1996;150:81-86.

12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended Community Strategies and

Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States. Surveillance Summaries, July 24, 2009.

MMWR 2010; 58(RR07). Pgs. 1-26

13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strategies to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic

Diseases: The CDC Guide to Strategies to Increase the Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables.

Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010.

14. Bearing Fruit: Farm to School Evaluation Resources and Recommendations, Center for Food &

Justice, Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental College,

http://departments.oxy.edu/uepi/cfj/publications/BF%20full%20report.pdf

15. Farm to School Evaluation Toolkit. Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University

of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2010). [Available

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17. Jamelske, E., Bica,L., McCarty, D., and Meinen, A. Preliminary Findings from an Evaluation of the 

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Sept-Oct 2009. 124: 660-669. 

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APPENDIX 

A F2S Characteristics and Data Collection 

B Sample Site Memorandum of Understanding 

C Weigh and Measurement Collection Form 

D Knowledge & Attitudes Survey and Construct Scoring Procedure 

E Lunch Tray Photo Observation Baseline Protocol 

F Baseline Knowledge & Attitude Constructs 

G Baseline and Follow-up Knowledge & Attitude Constructs 

H Baseline Lunch Tray Photo Observation 

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APPENDIX A 

F2S Characteristics and Data Collection 

Table 1. F2S Student and Site Characteristics 

School N Mean age, 

Baseline 

(SD) 

Gender 

(% Male/% 

Female) 

Race/ Ethnicity1 Mean BMI 

percentile, Baseline 

(SD)2 

# Prior yrs 

of F2S 

programs 

Overall 1191 9.62 (0.85) 53.13 / 46.88 80.90% C 7.27% AI 

4.48% AfAm 1.94% AsAm 

3.21% H 2.20% O 

68.02 (28.46) 

1.5% U 15.6% O 

59.4% H 23.5% Ob 

1.41 

1 N=113 

3rd=55 

4th=57 

9.10 (0.62) 46.90 / 53.1 77.88% C 1.77% AI 

6.19% AfAm 0.00% AsAm 

11.50% H 2.65% O 

N/A 1 

2 N=80 

4th=42 

5th=38 

10.10 (0.65) 51.25 / 48.75 31.25% C 3.75 AI 

27.50% AfAm 16.25% AsAm 

12.50% H 8.75% O 

64.57 (29.54) 

0.0% U 14.9% O 

64.9% H 20.3% Ob 

2 

3 N=88 9.79 (0.95) 47.73 / 52.27 14.77% C 73.86% AI 69.67 (35.20) 0 

3rd=27 2.27% AfAm 1.14% AsAm 6.0% U 14.5% O 

4th=27 3.41% H 4.55% O 36.1% H 43.4% Ob 

5th=34 

4 N=171 

3rd=86 

4th=85 

9.20 (0.66) 52.63 / 47.37 90.06% C 2.92% AI 

2.34% AfAm 1.75% AsAm 

1.17% H 1.75% O 

N/A 3 

5 N=223 9.81 (0.88) 52.65 / 47.35 96.90% C 1.33% AI N/A 0 

3rd=60 1.33% AfAm 0% AsAm 

4th=85 0% H 0.44% O 

5th=88 

6 N=210 9.83 (0.87) 53.81 / 46.19 92.86% C 0.95% AI 67.82 (26.47) 2 

3rd=60 1.90% AfAm 0.95% AsAm 0.5% U 18.6% O 

4th=71 1.90% H 1.43% O 64.3% H 16.7% Ob 

5th=79 

7 N=88 9.89 (0.93) 53.41 / 46.59 86.21% C 5.75% AI 71.51 (25.02) 2 

3rd = 24 0% AfAm 1.15% AsAm 0.0% U 10.6% O 

4th=30 

5th=34 

2.30% H 4.60% O 65.9% H 23.5% Ob 

8 N=83 9.86 (0.92) 57.83 / 42.17 98.8% C 0% AI 61.25 (30.91) 2 

3rd=26 0% AfAm 0% AsAm 3.6% U 16.9% O 

4th=27 0% H 1.20% O 61.5% H 18.1% Ob 

5th=30 

9 N=125 

3rd=57 

4th=68 

9.34 (0.60) 60.80 / 39.20 85.80% C 0% AI 

8.80% AfAm 2.40% AsAm 

3.20% H 0.80% O 

71.57 (25.83) 

0.8% U 14.2% O 

57.5% H 27.5% Ob 

1 

1 C=Caucasian; AfAm=African American; H=Hispanic; AI=American Indian; AsAm=Asian American; O=Other 

2

U=underweight; H=healthy weight; O=overweight; Ob=Obese 

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Table 2. Collected Student Health Behaviors Nine Participating F2S Sites by Grade 

School N KA 

Baseline 

KA 

Follow-up 

BMI 

Baseline 

LTPO 

Baseline (# paired trays) 

1 3

rd = 56 

4th = 57 

3

rd = 52 

4th = 55 

3rd = 49 

4th = 46 Opted out 

3rd, 4th combined = 159 

(4 days, aggregate) 

2 4

th = 42 

5th = 38 

4

th = 35 

5th =36 

4th = 23 

5th = 29 

4th = 39 

5th = 35 

Opted out 

3 3

rd = 27 

4th = 27 

5

th = 34 

3

rd = 0 

4th = 20 

5

th = 26 

3

rd = 0 

4th = 19 

5

th = 29 

3

rd = 26 

4th = 26 

5th = 31 

4

th = 53 

(4 days, individual) 

4 3

rd = 86 

4th = 85 

3

rd = 63 

4th = 80 

3rd = 80 

4th = 77 Opted out 

4th = 145 

(3 days, grade aggregate) 

5 3rd = 86 

4th = 85 

5

th = 88 

3rd = 50 

4th = 49 

5

th = 70 

3rd = 48 

4th = 74 

5

th = 78 

Opted out 

4th, 5th = 523 

(4 days, aggregate) 

6 3

rd = 60 

4th = 71 

5

th = 79 

3

rd = 56 

4th = 70 

5

th = 75 

3

rd = 55 

4th = 69 

5

th = 71 

3

rd = 60 

4th = 71 

5

th = 79 

3

rd/4th (1 day) = 111 

3rd = 149 (3 days) 

4

th = 178 (3 days) 

5

th = 282 (4 days) 

(grade aggregate) 

7 3rd = 26 

4th = 27 

5

th = 34 

3rd = 23 

4th = 29 

5

th = 30 

3rd = 22 

4th = 29 

5

th = 28 

3rd = 23 

4th = 29 

5

th = 33 

4th = 71 

(4 days, individual) 

8 3

rd = 26 

4th = 27 

5

th = 30 

3

rd = 23 

4th = 26 

5

th = 28 

3rd = 24 

4th = 26 

5

th = 28 

3rd = 26 

4th = 27 

5

th = 30 

3rd = 70 

4th = 92 

5

th = 112 

(4 days, individual) 

9 3rd = 57 

4th = 68 

3rd = 53 

4th = 63 

3rd = 53 

4th = 57 

3rd = 54 

4th = 66 

3rd = 137 

4th = 140 

(4 days, grade aggregate) 

Abbreviations: KA=Knowledge & Attitudes Survey; FFQ= Food Frequency Survey; BMI=Body Mass Index; 

LTPO=Lunch Tray Photo Observation. 

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APPENDIX B 

Sample Site Memorandum of Understanding 

University of Wisconsin—Madison: Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems 

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) 

AmeriCorps Farm to School Program Evaluation 

This MOA is made and entered into by and between the University of Wisconsin, Madison 

Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (hereinafter called "CIAS"), and XXXX Elementary 

School (hereinafter called “XES”). 

In consideration of their mutual promises and other good and valuable consideration, CIAS and 

XES agree as follows: 

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to set forth the terms and conditions for the parties to 

help implement and carry out established evaluation protocol in conjunction with the 

AmeriCorps Farm to School Program. The goal of the program is to increase the 

availability and consumption of healthy, locally grown foods in schools. 

2. SCOPE OF PROJECT; OBLIGATIONS OF PARTIES

XES agrees to provide the services as outlined on the attached proposal contained in 

Appendix A. Except as otherwise provided in this MOA, each party agrees to provide all 

necessary personnel, equipment, materials and other resources needed to complete the 

evaluation project. 

3. ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This agreement is subject to all terms and conditions set forth in Appendix A and B, 

which are attached and incorporated into this contract by reference. 

For XXXX Elementary School 

By ___________________________________ Date ____________________ 

Name of School Administrator 

For The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems: 

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By ___________________________________ Date ____________________ 

Doug Wubben, Wisconsin Farm to School Specialist 

Please FAX the signed Memorandum of Agreement to the University of Wisconsin—Center for 

Integrated Agricultural Systems: 

Attention Doug Wubben; F: (608) 265-3020, dwubben@wisc.edu 

Please indicate below where UW-CIAS should return the final copy of the Memorandum of 

Agreement to: 

NAME: _______________________________________________ 

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________ 

EMAIL: _______________________________________________ 

Please direct MOA inquiries to your AmeriCorps Member: 

NAME PHONE EMAIL 

APPENDIX A (MOU) 

AmeriCorps Farm to School Evaluation 

SCOPE OF PROJECT WORK 

1. OBLIGATIONS OF PARTIES

A. The XES shall: 

• Implement the Farm to School Evaluation Program tools and activities in grades 3—5

(or grades in this range housed at XES), outlined in Appendix B, in partnership with

the designated Farm to School AmeriCorps Member, with oversight from the

Member’s identified on-site supervisor.

• Agree to maintain the Farm to School Evaluation Program timeline and reporting

schedule, outlined in Appendix B.

• Assist with the recruitment of any additional labor needed to assist the AmeriCorps

Members in the timely completion of the Farm to School Evaluation Program.

• Work with identified teachers and other necessary school officials to schedule

required time slots for implementing student questionnaires and other surveys.

• Agree to alert the AmeriCorps Member in a timely way if problems should arise in

conjunction with the evaluation procedures.

• Agree to problem solve with Farm to School Evaluation Program experts to

overcome any identified barriers during the evaluation period.

• Manage the budget of $1,000 award to compensate evaluation efforts on the part of

the school. Budget due to AmeriCorps Member by 12/1/10.

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B. The UW CIAS shall: 

• Provide $1,000 Honorarium, payable to XES, to compensate for costs related to the

Farm to School Evaluation Program.

• Provide guidance (not requirements) to XES on evaluation honorarium budget for

successful outcome

• Provide all evaluation tools and guidance documents necessary to complete the

required evaluation activities.

• Provide training and technical assistance to the AmeriCorps Member and others

involved in collecting evaluation data for the Program.

• Provide back to XES summary of the completed Farm to School Evaluation.

(completion date TBD)

2. EVALUATION MEASURES

For each evaluation measure, students will only be identified by an evaluation

identification number. These are to be assigned per protocol by school and maintained

by 

only the school and AmeriCorps member. Any further handling or modification of 

evaluation data will only be done using identification numbers. 

o Student Knowledge & Attitudes Survey

o Online survey (paper copies available if necessary)

o ~15-20 minutes to implement

o Given to 3rd—5th grader students

o Block Kids’ Food Frequency Questionnaire

o Online survey

o ~15-20 minutes to implement

o Given to 4th grade students only

o Health Indicators

o FitnessGram (where available) or;

o Height, weight and birthdate (To Calculate BMI) and

o Ethnicity

o Plate Waste Observation

o Digital photos of cafeteria plates only

o Interviews

o Stakeholders

o Food Service Directors

o Farmers

o Student Focus Groups

o School Food Service Data

3. PROJECTED PROJECT TIMETABLE

This project will take place in the 2010-2011 academic school year.

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APPENDIX B (MOU)

Farm to School Evaluation Program

ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Reporting Requirements

i. AmeriCorps monthly reports including descriptions and quantifications of Farm to

School program activities

ii. WI DPI claim forms of school food service information

 Participation rates 

 Menus with local foods identified 

 Revenue and cost data to enable economic analysis 

iii. Absentee rates, 2009-10 versus 2010-2011

 Collected from administration 

iv. Volunteer hours logged, 2010-2011

 Collected from administration 

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APPENDIX C

Weight and Measurement Collection Form

Wisconsin Farm-to-School Evaluation 

2010-2011 

Student Demographics and Measurement 

*Please be sure to have read and reviewed To Weigh and Measure prior to collecting this data.

Student ID 

Date of birth	! Today’s date 

mm/dd/yyyy mm/dd/yyyy 

Gender  Male  Female 

Ethnicity  African-American 

 Asian-American 

 Caucasian 

 Hispanic 

 Other – please describe: 

Measurement data: 

Note: Clearly indicate if you are using measurements other than pounds and inches. 

If the difference between height measurements 1 and 2 is greater than 1⁄4 inch, re-measure. 

If the difference between weight measurements is greater than 1⁄4 pound, re-measure. 

1st height: & /8th inches 2nd height: & /8th inches 

1st weight: . pounds 2nd weight: . pounds 

Unable to assess: 

Check a reason below if measurement or student data cannot be obtained: 

 Parent refused 

 Physical disability 

 No longer at this school 

 Student refused 

 Could not get two height measurements within 1⁄4 inch or two weight measurements within 1⁄4 pound 

 Other: 

School information: Scale make/model: 

Last calibration date: 

Stadiometer make/model: ___________________________________________________________ 

Form modified from “To Weigh and Measure” published by Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin 

Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (03/2008) 

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APPENDIX D

Knowledge & Attitudes Survey and Construct Scoring Procedure

Wisconsin Farm-to-School 

2010-2011 

Student Survey 

Welcome to the Wisconsin Farm to School Student Survey. We want to hear what you think 

about fruits and vegetables - thank you for helping us! 

This is not a test and it will not affect your grades. Please answer every question, telling us 

what you really think. If you have questions you may ask your teacher or AmeriCorps member. 

Student Evaluation ID: 

Today’s date: 

month / day / year 

What is your gender?  Male  Female 

What ethnic group do you belong to? 

 African-American 

 Asian-American 

 Caucasian 

 Hispanic 

 Other – please describe: 

What is your birthdate? 

Month: 

Day: 

Year: 

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Please tell how you feel about fruit. a lot a little not very not at all 

much 

1 How much do you like fruit? 

2 When you try a new fruit for the first time, how much do you 

usually like it? 

3 How much do you like tasting new fruits? 

Please tell how you feel about tasting new fruit. 

4 Will you taste a fruit if you don't know what it is? 

5 Will you taste a fruit if it looks strange? 

6 Will you taste a fruit if you have never tasted it before? 

7 When you are at a friend's house, will you try a new fruit? 

8 When you are at school, will you try a new fruit? 

9 When you are at home, will you try a new fruit? 

definitely probably probably definitely 











not not 

10 How many times have you tried a new fruit Never 

since school started this year? 

at least 4 

2 times 3 times 

times 





1 time 



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Please tell how you feel about vegetables. a lot a little not very not at all 

much 

11 How much do you like vegetables? 

12 When you try a new vegetable for the first time, how much do 

you usually like it? 

13 How much do you like tasting new vegetables? 

Please tell how you feel about tasting new vegetables. 

14 Will you taste a vegetable if you don't know what it is? 

15 Will you taste a vegetable if it looks strange? 

16 Will you taste a vegetable if you have never tasted it before? 

17 When you are at a friend's house, will you try a new 

vegetable? 

18 When you are at school, will you try a new vegetable? 

19 When you are at home, will you try a new vegetable? 

20 How many times have you tried a new vegetable Never 

since school started this year? 

21. How many times in your life have you been to a farm?

 Never

 1 time

 2 times

 3 times

 4 times or more

22. How do tomatoes grow? Please check one.

 As plants

 As animals

 As minerals

 Something else

23. What part of a plant is a carrot? Please check one.

 Leaf

 Root

 Stalk

 Flower

definitely probably probably definitely 











not not 

at least 4 

2 times 3 times 

times 





1 time 



29 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24. Where do eggs come from? Please check one.

 Cows

 Goats

 Chickens

 Something else

25. What is a benefit of using compost?

 Compost feeds wild animals.

 Makes farmers use more chemical fertilizers.

 Compost keeps food out of landfills.

 None of the above.

26. Do insects play an important role in growing plants?

 Yes

 No

 I don’t know

27. Do TOMATOES grow in Wisconsin?

 Yes

 No

 I don’t know

28. Do ORANGES grow in Wisconsin?

 Yes

 No

 I don’t know

29. Do APPLES grow in Wisconsin?

 Yes

 No

 I don’t know

30. Does SQUASH grow in Wisconsin?

 Yes

 No

 I don’t know

31. Do BANANAS grow in Wisconsin?

 Yes

 No

 I don’t know

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32. Imagine a meal with a hotdog in a bun and a glass of milk. What food group is missing?

Please check one.

 Dairy

 Fruits & Vegetables

 Meat

 Grains

33. What food group does the pear belong to? Please check one.

 Dairy

 Fruits & Vegetables

 Meat

 Grains

34. Why do I need to eat food?

 I need food for energy and to grow.

 I need food ONLY because it tastes good.

 I don’t need food.

 I don’t know.

35. Why do I need to eat different kinds of foods?

 I can get a lot of the SAME nutrients.

 I can get many DIFFERENT nutrients.

 I don’t need to eat different kinds of food.

 I don’t know.

36. Healthy eating is:

 eating fruits but not vegetables.

 not eating fruits or vegetables.

 eating both fruits and vegetables.

 I don’t know.

37. The foods that I eat for meals and snacks are healthy. (Choose one.)

Yes, all of the time

Yes, sometimes

No

38. How likely are you to eat fresh fruit instead of candy? (Choose one.)

 Not likely

 Likely

 Very Likely

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39. Have you ever eaten an apple?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

40. Have you ever eaten an orange?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

41. Have you ever eaten watermelon?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

42. Have you ever eaten a pear?  Yes Did you like it?  yes 

 no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

43. Have you ever eaten a kiwi?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

44. Have you ever eaten a strawberry?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

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45. Have you ever eaten a blueberry?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

46. Have you ever eaten cantaloupe?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

47. Have you ever eaten a grape?  Yes Did you like it?  yes 

 no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

48. Have you ever eaten a cranberry?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

49. Have you ever eaten asparagus?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

50. Have you ever eaten broccoli?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

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51. Have you ever eaten a cucumber?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

52. Have you ever eaten a green pepper?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

53. Have you ever eaten a sweet potato?  Yes Did you like it?  yes  no  No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

54. Have you ever eaten peas?  Yes Did you like it?  yes 

 no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

55. Have you ever eaten spinach?  Yes Did you like it?  yes 

 no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

56. Have you ever eaten green beans?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one?  yes  no  maybe 

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57. Have you ever eaten avocado?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one? 

 yes 

 no 

 maybe 

58. Have you ever eaten a tomato?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one? 

 yes 

 no 

 maybe 

59. Have you ever eaten a carrot?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one? 

 yes 

 no 

 maybe 

60. Have you ever eaten a radish?

 Yes Did you like it?  yes  no 

 No Would you try one? 

 yes 

 no 

 maybe 

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!

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Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Scoring Procedure
)

Six constructs from the Knowledge and Attitudes (KA) survey were measured from students’ 

responses. 

1) Knowledge (questions 21-36, 15 questions): Fifteen questions focused on material

typically covered in the curricula used by AmeriCorps F2S members. Correct responses

received a score of 1, and incorrect answers received a score of 0. Students who

selected I don’t know, when it was a response option, received a score of 0. Scores

ranged from 0 to maximum of 15.

Knowledge = ∑ (correct responses, Q22-36) 

2) Attitudes (questions 1-20): Six questions ask how much a student likes FV and how

much a student likes new FV. Response options included a lot (score = 4), a little, not

very much, or not at all (score= 1). Twelve questions asked a student how willing he/she

is to try a FV in a variety of situations, with a response scale ranging from definitely

(score = 4) to definitely not (score = 1). Finally, two questions asked how many times a

student had tried a new FV since the start of the school year, with a response scale

ranging from never (score= 1) to at least 4 times (score= 5). The total Attitudes score

summed the values for the 20 questions, with a possible score range from 20 to 82.

Attitudes = ∑ (scored responses, Q1-20) 

3) Perception/Self-efficacy (questions 37-38): Two questions asked students’ perception of

their own diets – whether the foods they eat are healthy: yes, all the time (score = 2),

yes, sometimes (score= 1), or no (score= 0); and whether they are likely to eat fresh fruit

instead of candy: very likely (score=2), likely (score = 1), or not likely (score= 0). Possible

scores are 0 to a maximum of 4.

Perception/self efficacy = ∑ (scored responses, Q37-38) 

4) Exposure (questions 39-60, part 1a): 22 questions asked if a student had tried particular

FV. (In the final scoring, two foods were omitted (broccoli, asparagus) due to

36 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

discrepancies between the paper and electronic versions of the survey as well as an 

error in the electronic version.) Each question included a photograph of the food to aid 

with recognition. Yes responses (score=1) were summed to create the Exposure 

construct score; no responses scored 0. The response to the Exposure question then led 

to either a Liking (if the response was yes) or Willingness (if the response was no) followup question. Exposure scores ranged from 0 to 20. 

Exposure= ∑ (‘yes’ responses, Q39-60 parts a) 

5) Liking (questions 39-60, part b): Among the previously FV, students were asked whether

they liked it (yes/no response options; yes=score 1). The sum of yes responses were

divided by the total number of F/V the student tried (=the Exposure score) and

represented as a percentage. The likeness scores ranged from 0 to 100.

Liking = ∑ (‘yes’ responses, Q39-60, parts b) 

Exposure score 

6) Willingness (questions 39-60, part c): Among the FV reported in the Exposure questions

to have not been previously eaten, students were asked whether they would try it.

Response options were yes (score= 2), maybe (score =1), and no (score= 0). The sum of

responses were divided by twice the number of no responses to Exposure questions (or

20-Exposure score, x 2; because students could score up to two points per Willingness

question asked) and reported as a percentage. The willingness scores ranged from 0 to

100. 

Willingness = ∑ (scored responses, Q39-60, parts c) 

2 x (20-Exposure score) 

37 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX E

Lunch Tray Photo Observation – Baseline Protocol (Fall 2010) 

Digital photography will assess fruit and vegetable consumption in third- through fifth-grade 

students at schools participating in F2S, both at the beginning and the end of the 2010-2011 

school year, for four consecutive days each time (Tuesday through Friday) in order to obtain a 

wide variety of menus and consistency. If possible, the menus should be the same in the fall 

and spring to reduce variability, but it is not mandatory. 

AmeriCorps Members should engage 1-3 volunteers (depending on the number of students 

being observed) to help take photographs of “before” and “after” school lunch trays each day 

(preferably the same volunteers each day, but that is not mandatory). Each volunteer should 

use their own digital camera that has the capability to directly upload to a computer 

immediately following the observation day (a total of 4 digital cameras are likely to be needed, 

depending on the size of the memory card; batteries should be new or freshly charged, and 

extras should be available just in case). At least one previous study has found this method to 

not disrupt the school cafeteria setting, and analysts’ estimations of consumption levels agreed 

with each other well (1). 

On Site: 

1. AmeriCorps Member will provide large (2 to 3 inches in diameter) stickers:

-color-coded by grade: 3rd grade = red, 4th grade = blue, 5th grade = yellow 

-pre-numbered (1 through xx) so that there is one for each student eating a school lunch 

-It would be ideal if each child had the same number each day (for example, 

alphabetical order) but it is not mandatory. (Please indicate this to the evaluation 

team if you manage it, especially if you can correspond it specifically to a student 

evaluation ID number both in the fall and in the spring.) 

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2. Either (a) In classrooms prior to lunch, teachers will place stickers on students’ wrists, palmside and instruct all students to be sure they dump their own trays when they 

have finished eating. 

or (b) Trays will be labeled in advance by AmeriCorps members and/or volunteers with 

numbered, color-coded dots or tape (labeled as described in #1 above) that will 

dissolve in the school dishwasher. 

3. Digital photographs should be taken from a height of approximately 16 inches above the tray

and at approximately a 45° angle.

a) As students exit the lunch line, volunteers will take a digital photograph of each “before”

tray, with the student’s wrist and sticker showing (no faces). 

b) Just before students dump their tray at the end of the meal, volunteers will take a digital

photograph of the “after” tray with the student’s wrist and sticker showing (no faces). 

(i) Adjustments may need to be made to differentiate between eaten and uneaten 

portions, for example orange peels remaining versus uneaten orange slices ought to be 

clearly distinguishable. The photographers may ask the children to move the food 

themselves, or the photographers may wear gloves and adjust the layout themselves. 

(ii) If time constraints do not allow for “after” photos and if lunch trays are disposable 

(stickers can be placed directly on the trays), students may leave trays on the table for 

photographs to be taken after children have left the cafeteria. 

4. Volunteers and AmeriCorps Member will upload digital photos to computer (or directly to

Dropbox – see # 5) to clear cameras for the next day.

5. The AmeriCorps Member will subsequently upload all photos to the appropriate Dropbox

folder (specific to school and day; separate by camera if possible) to submit to the evaluation

team.

6. AmeriCorps Member will provide notes and observations to the evaluation team, such as:

a) any problems that arose during data collection (photography slowing the serving line, or

students disposing of trays prior to photography) 

b) cameras used (make, model, year)

c) whether or not students received same numbers for ID sticker each day

39 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

d) whether or not sticker numbers correspond exactly to an evaluation ID each day

e) any other observations that you think may be helpful for analysis and interpretation.

Evaluation: 

1. Evaluation team will receive school menus as part of monthly data collection from school

food service directors.

2. Evaluation team will match “before” and “after” trays according to grade color and number,

and compare to visually estimate the percent of each fruit and vegetable consumed (to the

nearest 10% increment), and enter data into the appropriate spreadsheet.

The ideal data collection is for each participating school to take “before” and “after” 

photographs of school lunch trays: 

• for all third through fifth graders

• on four consecutive days (see timeline)

•	 by AmeriCorps member plus 3 volunteers each day, with volunteer/borrowed digital

cameras.

If volunteers are not available, we will leave it up to the AmeriCorps member to decide how 

many grades are possible (target 5th grade first, then add 4th grade, then add 3rd grade). It is 

intended that the same groups are photographed both in the fall and in the spring. 

Reference: 

Swanson, M. (2008) Digital Photography as a Tool to Measure School Cafeteria Consumption. J 

School Health, 78(8): 432-437. 

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APPENDIX F 

Baseline Knowledge & Attitude Constructs 

Table 3. Baseline Knowledge and Attitude Constructs by Previous Years in F2S 

KA Construct Group N, Baseline Baseline Mean 

(SD or SE) ¥ 

p 

for model 

Knowledge Full sample 1012 11.63 (2.12) <0.0001 * 

Previous years in F2S+: 0 215 (of 321) 11.82 (0.14)a 

1 223 (of 238) 11.11 (0.14)a,b 

≥ 2 574 (of 632) 11.77 (0.08) b 

Attitudes Full sample 1013 59.60 (11.53) <0.0001 * 

Previous years in F2S+: 0 215 (of 321) 55.76 (0.79)a 

1 223 (of 238) 58.97 (0.79)a 

≥ 2 575 (of 632) 61.28 (0.78)a 

Perception/ Self-efficacy Full sample 1012 2.30 (0.82) 0.0333 * 

Previous years in F2S+: 0 215 (of 321) 2.26 (0.06) 

1 223 (of 238) 2.26 (0.06) 

≥ 2 574 (of 632) 2.33 (0.03) 

Exposure Full sample 1009 16.63 (3.34) <0.0001 * 

Previous years in F2S+: 0 215 (of 321) 16.10 (0.23)a 

1 222 (of 238) 16.12 (0.23) b 

≥ 2 572 (of 632) 17.03 (0.14)a,b 

Liking Full sample 1009 81.64 (15.45) 0.8558 * 

Previous years in F2S+: 0 215 (of 321) 83.97 (1.07)a,b 

1 222 (of 238) 80.13 (1.07)a 

≥ 2 572 (of 632) 81.35 (0.65) b 

Willingness Full sample 798 45.53 (31.19) 0.0171 * 

Previous years in F2S+: 0 177 (of 321) 43.73 (2.39) 

1 196 (of 238) 47.88 (2.31) 

≥ 2 425 (of 632) 45.20 (1.53) *

Differences tested by PROC TTEST. 

+ Means according to Previous years in F2S and significance calculated using PROC MIXED, controlling for Grade and Baseline construct score, 

and treating School as a random effect.

¥

SD used for simple means; SE presented for mixed models data.

a, b, c, d, ... Pairwise differences were evaluated using PROC MIXED with Tukey’s adjustment for multiple comparisons. Significant differences (p 

<0.05) within each KA construct are indicated by matching superscripts.

41 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX G 

Baseline and Follow-up Knowledge & Attitude Constructs 

Table 4. Baseline and Follow-up Knowledge and Attitude Constructs by Previous Years in F2S 

KA Construct Group N, 

Baseline 

Baseline Mean 

(SD or SE) ¥ 

N, 

Followup 

Follow-up Mean 

(SD or SE) ¥ 

Difference (SD 

or SE)¥ 

p 

Knowledge Full sample 1012 11.63 (2.12) 1012 12.22 (2.17) 

Matched pairs 894 11.66 (2.09) 894 12.23 (2.18) 0.56 (2.10) <0.0001 * 

Previous years in 

F2S+

: 0 

186 11.82 (0.14)a 186 11.95 (014)ab 0.28 (0.14)a 

1 193 11.11 (0.14)a,b 193 12.69 (0.14)a 1.02 (0.14)a,b 

≥ 2 515 11.77 (0.08) b 515 12.16 (0.08) b 0.49 (0.08)b 

Attitudes Full sample 1013 59.60 (11.53) 1014 61.08 (11.63) 

Matched pairs 897 59.33 (11.47) 897 61.12 (11.69) 1.79 (9.97) <0.0001 * 

Previous years in 

F2S+

: 0 

187 55.76 (0.79)a 187 59.14 (0.67)a,b -0.18 (0.67)a,b 

1 192 58.97 (0.79)a 192 61.82 (0.67)a 2.49 (0.67)a 

≥ 2 518 61.28 (0.78)a 518 61.58 (0.40) b 2.25 (0.40) b 

Perception/ Selfefficacy Full sample 1012 2.30 (0.82) 1011 2.25 (0.87) 

Matched pairs 893 2.32 (0.82) 893 2.25 (0.86) -0.07 (0.99) 0.0333 * 

Previous years in 

F2S+

: 0 

186 2.26 (0.06) 186 2.11 (0.06)a -0.20 (0.06)a 

1 192 2.26 (0.06) 192 2.34 (0.06)a 0.02 (0.06)a 

≥ 2 515 2.33 (0.03) 515 2.26 (0.04) -0.05 (0.04) 

Exposure Full sample 1009 16.63 (3.34) 1009 17.15 (3.14) 

Matched pairs 889 16.59 (3.39) 889 17.16 (3.12) 0.57 (2.13) <0.0001 * 

Previous years in 

F2S+

: 0 

184 16.10 (0.23)a 184 16.83 (0.14)a 0.25 (0.14)a 

1 192 16.12 (0.23) b 192 17.46 (0.14) a 0.87 (0.14)a 

≥ 2 513 17.03 (0.14)a,b 513 17.17 (0.09) 0.58 (0.09) 

Liking Full sample 1009 81.64 (15.45) 1009 81.54 (15.90) 

Matched pairs 889 81.36 (15.53) 889 81.28 (16.05) -0.08 (13.31) 0.8558 * 

Previous years in 

F2S+

: 0 

184 83.97 (1.07)a,b 184 79.36 (0.93)a -2.00 (0.93)a 

1 192 80.13 (1.07)a 192 81.14 (0.92) -0.22 (0.92) 

≥ 2 513 81.35 (0.65) b 513 82.02 (0.54)a 0.66 (0.54)a 

Willingness Full sample 798 45.53 (31.19) 748 46.98 (31.71) 

Matched pairs 609 43.68 (31.08) 609 46.68 (31.09) 3.00 (30.98) 0.0171 * 

Previous years in 

F2S+

: 0 

136 43.73 (2.39) 136 42.09 (2.35)a -1.59 (2.35)a 

1 144 47.88 (2.31) 144 50.05 (2.31)a 6.37 (2.31)a 

≥ 2 329 45.20 (1.53) 329 47.10 (1.48) 3.42 (1.48) *

Differences tested by PROC TTEST. 

+ Means according to Previous years in F2S and significance calculated using PROC MIXED, controlling for Grade and Baseline construct score, 

and treating School as a random effect.

¥

SD used for simple means; SE presented for mixed models data.

a, b, c, d, ... Pairwise differences were evaluated using PROC MIXED with Tukey’s adjustment for multiple comparisons. Significant differences (p 

<0.05) within each KA construct are indicated by matching superscripts.

42 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX H

Baseline Lunch Tray Photo Observation

Table 5. LTPO by FV Variety, Cups and Consumption by Previous Years in F2S 

Group N (# of 

paired 

trays) 

Variety of FV 

on tray 

(selected/ 

served) 

(SD or SE¥)

+ 

N (# of 

paired 

trays) 

Amount of FV 

on tray 

(selected/ 

served), cups 

(SD or SE¥) + 

N (# of 

paired 

trays) 

Amount of FV 

consumed 

from tray, 

cups 

(SD or SE¥)

+ 

All 2214 1.36 (0.92) 2213 0.53 (0.43) 2214 0.37 (0.36) 

Previous Years in F2S: 

0 573 0.91 (0.04)a 0.41 (0.02)a 0.35 (0.01)a 

≥ϭ 1641 1.52 (0.02)a 0.57 (0.01)a 0.38 (0.01)a 

*

Differences tested by PROC TTEST. + LS Means according to Previous years in F2S and significance calculated using PROC MIXED, controlling for Grade, and treating School as a 

random effect. Additionally, consumption values were calculated while controlling for the starting amount of FV on tray.

¥

SD used for simple means; SE presented for mixed models data.

a, b, c, d, ... Pairwise differences were evaluated using PROC MIXED with Tukey’s adjustment for multiple comparisons. Significant differences (p 

<0.05) within each variable are indicated by matching superscripts.

Table 6. LTPO: Percent of Trays by FV Variety and Consumption by Previous Years in F2S 

0 prior yrs F2S ≥ 1 prior yrs F2S 

p 1 N (# trays) % of trays N (#trays) % of trays 

Number of Fruits/vegetables selected <0.0001 

0 195 34.03 188 11.46 statistic = 142.5890 on 2 df 

1-2 345 60.21 1260 76.78 

>2 33 5.76 193 11.76 

Total cups of Fruits/vegetables consumed from lunch tray <0.0001 

0 224 39.09 321 19.56 statistic = 96.5323 

>0, <1/2 211 36.82 648 39.49 on 2 df 

≥ϭͬ2 138 24.08 672 40.95 1 

p value calculated using the Likelihood Ratio Chi-Square Test. 

Table 7. LTPO: T-tests to compare 0 and ≥ 1 Previous Years in F2S 

Mean (SD), 

0 prior years 

Mean (SD), 

≥ 1 prior years 

Difference (SD) p 

FV variety 0.99 (0.90) 1.50 (0.89) -0.51 (0.90) <0.0001 

FV cups selected/ on tray 0.40 (0.42) 0.57 (0.42) -0.17 (0.42) <0.0001 

FV cups consumed 0.27 (0.30) 0.41 (0.37) -0.14 (0.35) <0.0001 

Unadjusted means. 

43