Impact of COVID-19 School-Related Policies in Ontario on Parents' School Lunch Packing Habits.

Purpose: COVID-19 has disrupted the daily routines of many Canadian families. In Ontario, provincially mandated public health measures have resulted in significant changes to school policies, including those related to food. The impact of COVID-19 related school food policies on parental lunch packing habits is unknown; therefore, this study investigated how school-related COVID-19 policies have impacted parental school lunch packing habits.Methods: Parents (N = 287) of school-aged children were recruited from parent-specific Facebook groups across Ontario, Canada, to complete an online survey regarding lunch packing habits. This survey was developed based on findings from a previously conducted scoping review. Open-ended survey responses were inductively analyzed.Results: Three over-arching themes were constructed: (1) Food Programs and COVID-19; (2) Schedule Changes; and (3) School Policy Changes. Parents explained that the cancellation or modification of food programs at schools, changes to the length of time children are given to eat at school, and removal of access to microwaves, garbage cans, and teacher assistance during lunch have forced parents to change their lunch packing habits.Conclusion: Findings from this study demonstrate a need for better support to help ease the burden parents experience when packing their child's school lunch, during an already extremely stressful time.

What's for Lunch? Investigating the Experiences, Perceptions, and Habits of Parents and School Lunches: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Research indicates home-packed school lunches are lower in nutritional value compared with school-provided meals. Due to the lack of a school lunch program, most of what Canadian children consume during the school day is determined by parents and caregivers through packed lunches. Despite this, little research has focused on the school lunch packing habits and attitudes of parents. The purpose of this scoping review was to improve understanding of parental perceptions, experiences, and habits with respect to home-packed school lunches. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed and gray literature. We reviewed only studies published from January 2000 to January 2019 with a focus on parents' lunch packing habits for their school-aged children. RESULTS: The review included 7 studies, with articles from the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. The studies identified 6 themes influencing parental decisions regarding what to pack in their child's lunch-school environment, food as fuel, convenience, child's influence, cost, and the lunch experience. CONCLUSIONS: The decisions that influence what is packed in a school lunch are complex and indicate the need for support. Parents, schools, districts, and government policymakers need to work collaboratively to improve the healthiness of home-packed school lunches.