Scholarship & Research
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Item Understanding the effects of food waste reduction methods and the implementation of a food waste program(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Heath & Human Development, 2016) Leitch, Alicia Rae; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carmen Byker; Carmen Byker Shanks and Selena Ahmed were co-authors of the article, 'Food waste reduction strategies in large foodservice operations: a systematic review of literature' submitted to the journal 'Journal of sustainability' which is contained within this thesis.; Carmen Byker Shanks, Selena Ahmed and Thomas Bass were co-authors of the article, 'Understanding the effects of food waste reduction methods and the implementation of a food waste program' submitted to the journal 'Journal of sustainability' which is contained within this thesis.Approximately 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year totaling nearly a third of all food produced in the world.1 Food service operations are one of the leading contributors to food waste.2 Decreasing the amount of food waste is an emerging priority of the United States Department of Agriculture. Large-scale food service operations such as university dining facilities may be prime location to implement food waste reduction strategies in order to reduce overall food waste and increase sustainability. Despite the notable contribution of large-scale food service operations to food waste, there is a lack of research on the effectiveness food waste reduction strategies in such operations. The research presented here seeks to address this research need of identifying food waste reduction strategies and their effectiveness within large food service operations through a systematic review of literature using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement guidelines. Findings from this systematic review were synthesized to design and implement a cross-sectional pre and post study evaluating the effectiveness of two food waste reduction strategies including dining facility changes as well as a large service style renovation. Findings of the systematic review indicate that implementing food waste reduction strategies are effective in reducing overall food waste. Analysis of the cross-sectional pre and post study indicated a positive effect of dining hall renovation on reducing food waste. Findings from this study provide valuable information to inform food waste research and evidence on designing policies and practices to reduce food waste in large-scale food service operations.Item Increasing the use of fresh, whole foods in K-12 school nutrition programs through culinary training for school food service professionals(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2015) Stephens, Lacy Nicole; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carmen Byker; Carmen Byker Shanks was a co-author of the article, 'K-12 school food service staff training interventions: a review of the literature' in the journal 'Journal of school health' which is contained within this thesis.; Carmen Byker Shanks, Aubree Roth and Katie Bark were co-authors of the article, 'Perspectives and future directions concerning fresh, whole foods in Montana school nutrition programs' in the journal 'Journal of child nutrition and management' which is contained within this thesis.; Carmen Byker Shanks, Aubree Roth and Katie Bark were co-authors of the article, 'Montana cook fresh workshop: a K-12 school food service professional training to incorporate whole foods in school meals' submitted to the journal 'Childhood obesity' which is contained within this thesis.The purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate a hands-on culinary skills class for school food service professionals, the Montana Cook Fresh Workshop, aimed at increasing the use of whole, fresh foods in K-12 school nutrition programs. The literature indicates that scratch cooking with whole, fresh foods can help school nutrition programs meet USDA meal standards while creating healthier, more appealing meals for students. However, limited peer reviewed information exists regarding the best training approaches to provide school nutrition professionals with the necessary skills to integrate scratch cooking. To inform the development of the class, 103 Montana school food service managers and head cooks were surveyed and 12 key informants were interviewed. This formative research identified key skills and approaches necessary to integrate whole, fresh foods in school nutrition programs and specific areas to target with training. From this research, the Montana Cook Fresh Workshop was developed to address four main culinary concepts: knife skills, mise en place, use of herbs and spices, and appropriate equipment. Outcomes of the workshop were evaluated based on participant satisfaction and changes in participants' whole, fresh foods (a) cooking knowledge, (b) confidence, (c) attitude, and (d) intention to use. Participant satisfaction was evaluated with a Likert scale questionnaire and series of open-ended questions. Researchers used a pre-test/post-test design to assess participants' knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and intentions regarding whole, fresh food. For each statement assessing participant satisfaction, 96-100 percent of participants selected 'agree' or 'strongly agree,' indicating high levels of participant satisfaction. From pre to post test, participants' knowledge, confidence, and intentions to use whole, fresh food increased significantly. Attitude did not change significantly. The success and appeal of the Montana Cook Fresh Workshop supports the use of hands-on classes to address training needs of school food service professionals and overcome barriers to using whole, fresh food. With the ability to use more whole foods, K-12 school food service programs have the opportunity to offer more appealing meals that meet USDA guidelines and promote healthy food choices.