Study on Foodservice Management of Dietitian in the Elementary School in Taejon and Chung Nam

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to provide the improvable way of foodservice management to dietitian in the elementary schools. For this purpose the serving pattern of food, menu planing, nutrition education, leftover management and difficulties in foodservice were investigated. The survey was conducted through questionnaires, which were collected from 249 dietitions randomly selected in Taejon and Chung Nam. Data were analyzed by SAS program. The main results of this study are as follows. The children in Taejon took foods in the class room(65.7%) and those in Chung Nam in the dinning hall(89.9%)(p<0.01). In menu planning the balance of nutrition(42.6%) was mainly considered and then food preference(19.7%), variety of menus(16.1%), food cost(16.1%), composition of food color, taste and texture(3.2%), skills of food making(1.6%) and the number of students(0.8%). They referred cooking magazines(47.7%), the previous menu(42.2%), children's opinion(7.2%) for planing menu. The insufficiency of implements and devices for food(24.1%) and lack of season's food(20.4%) were indicated as difficulties in their job. 34.5% of dietitians used a standard menu, 79.5% investigated food preference of children, 74.3% evaluated taste of foods before serving, and 80.7% regularly checked leftover. The major reason for leftover was careless of the teacher in charge in Taejon and bad taste of foods nutrition in Chung Nam(p<0.001). 98.5% of them answered that they had the responsibility for nutrition education in elementary school. They had a hard time in relationship with the staffs in school(40.6%) and employees for food(39.8%), and lack of market information(38.2%). To efficiency of dietitian's work can be enhanced by reflecting the results of children's food preference and leftover, by using standard cooking method and proper cooking utensil, and by performing nutrition education for children by themselves.