TST boces: tompkins county healthy school meals research and implementation project
Active Cooperative Agreement Awarded Last action
- Award ID
- U18FD008665
- Recipient
-
Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga Board Of Cooperative Educational Services UEI ETEFZB99VMH7
- Awarding agency
-
FDA Office of Acquisition and Grant Services
Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services
- Obligated
- $749,454
Award facts
- Assistance listing
- 93.103 Food and Drug Administration Research
- Completion date 87% complete
- Funding agency
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services
- Place of performance
- Ithaca, NY, USA
Award details come from USAspending.gov.
Description
- 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.
Transactions
| Action | Obligated | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Amendment | $0 | |
| Amendment | $0 | |
| Amendment | $0 | |
| Amendment | $249,818 | |
| Amendment | $249,818 | |
| Amendment | $249,818 | |
| Amendment | -$249,818 | |
| Amendment | -$249,818 | |
| Amendment | -$249,818 | |
| Amendment | -$249,818 | |
| Amendment | $249,818 | |
| Amendment | $249,818 | |
| Amendment | $249,818 | |
| Original award | $249,818 |
Show all 14
Subawards
| Subrecipient | Amount | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Chef ANN Foundation | $166,198 |
Quick answers
Who received award U18FD008665?
U18FD008665 was awarded to Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga Board Of Cooperative Educational Services by FDA Office of Acquisition and Grant Services (Food and Drug Administration) on August 1, 2025.
How much is award U18FD008665 worth?
$749,454 has been obligated on U18FD008665.
Which agency awarded U18FD008665?
FDA Office of Acquisition and Grant Services (Food and Drug Administration) awarded U18FD008665, with funding from Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (Food and Drug Administration).
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