Examining the quality and student acceptability of school lunches in a Title 1, Alaska Native serving school district: findings from the Neqa Elicarvigmun study.

The national school lunch program (NSLP) is particularly important in vulnerable communities with high rates of food insecurity. The nutritional quality and student acceptability of the lunch, however, affect and potentially limit the program's benefits to vulnerable students. Our objective was to examine the quality and student acceptability of the school lunch in a Title 1, Alaska Native serving school district participating in a Fish‐to‐School program. Lunch trays were photographed before and after students ate to estimate plate waste, which was used as a proxy for student acceptability. School lunch menus were entered into NDS‐R 2014 to estimate nutrient quality. On average, more than 50% of vegetables were thrown away. This average was significantly lower when the vegetables were included in a mixed dish (e.g. salmon soup). Less than 10% of the main entrées were thrown away. Entrees featuring salmon, a culturally important traditional food, were among the most popular. Menu modifications that are more closely aligned with traditional dietary patterns are needed to improve the acceptability of the school lunches, especially the vegetable component, in Alaska Native communities.