32 CCMMEHCIAL FISHEEilES REVIEW Vol. 13, No, 4 



Georgia, South Carolina, and Massachusetts 

 School-Lunch Programs Use More Fish 



Introduction : One method currently being used by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service to increase the use of fishery products in the school-lunch program consists 

 of demonstrations for school lunchrocm managers and officials in various states .1/ 

 The Educational and Market Developmert Section of the Service's Branch of Commercial 

 Fisheries during the past two years has been engaged in developing markets for fish- 

 ery products through the school-lunch program by encouraging the use of these prod- 

 ucts in school-lunch menus. Schools, as volume users of food in their lunch programs, 

 represent a large potential market for fishery products. In addition, educating 

 children to eat fish and shellfish will make them better potential adult consumers 

 in the future. Many school lunchrooms are not accustomed to using fish and shell- 

 fish because school lunchrocm managers and officials claim that fishery products 

 are too difficult to prepare, create strong cooking odors, are too expensive, are 

 not eaten by most children, or that these products are not readily available in 

 their particular area. 



The following is a report of the work done in Georgia, South Carolina, and 

 Massachusetts . 



Georgia and South Carolina ; School-lunch programs are now using 55 percent 

 more fish in South Carolina, and approximately 73 percent more in Georgia, These 

 facts were brought out in a recent survey made by the Educational and Market Devel- 

 opment Section to determine the results of the 46 fish-cookery demonstrations it 

 sponsored for the schools of these states during 1949 and 1950. The figures were 

 based on data frcm 1,811 schools represented at the demonstrations. An analysis of 

 the Georgia school -lunch menus for September, October, and November 1948 indicated 

 the need for an educational program on fishery products for school lunchroans. This 

 preliminary survey revealed that the average school in Georgia used fishery products 

 only once a month. Of even greater concern was the fact that 38 percent of the 

 schools failed to serve fish in any form. Officials connected viith the school-lunch 

 program in Georgia advanced several reasons for this lack of fish in the school diet, 

 but generally they hinged on the lack of supplies on local markets and the belief 

 that the students did not like fish. Other reasons given included preparation dif- 

 ficulties, odor, and price. 



^ survey of the availability of fish to Georgia schools showed that ample sup- 

 plies were available in almost all localities. Since fish is low in cost, nutri- 

 tious, and a good food for children when properly prepared, it was felt that a gen- 

 eral lack of knowledge about fish and fish cookery was the main reason for the schools 

 using little or no fish. 



To remedy this situation the Fish and Wildlife Service, in cooperation with the 

 Georgia Department of Education and the U. S, Department of Agriculture conducted a 

 series of fish-cookery demonstrations for groups of school-lunch managers in Georgia 

 in April, October, and November 1949. Altogether 26 school-lunch dononstrations 

 were presented in various localities throughout the State. The places where these 

 were held are listed on the following page. 



I/ALSO SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW , SEPTEMBER 1950, PP. 23-25; JULY 1950, P. 17; APRIL 

 1950, PP. 49-51 . 



NOTE: C. B. LOWDEN, SAVANNAH, GA . , AND B. E. LINDGREN, BOSTON, MASS., FISHERY MARKETING 



SPECIALISTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT SECTION, BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL 

 FISHERIES, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DID THE FIELD WORK ON WHICH THIS REPORT 

 IS BASED. 



