Free Response – Categorized Responses Responses in this section were free response. The most common themes in comments are reported below.
Table 7. Top School Food Procurement Challenges
COUNT PERCENT
What is the top challenge you currently face related to school food procurement? High prices / Budget constraints
421 264 222
26% 17% 14% 10%
Supply chain / Availability
Administrative / Regulatory burden Insufficient vendors / Few bids
167
Nutrition requirements / Meal pattern compliance
87 80 76 62 58 53 43 39 38 37 35 34 32 30 30 29 22
5% 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2%
N/A
Quality of foods
Delivery minimums and timing Limiting purchasing options
Other (Challenges mentioned fewer than 10 times)
Unclear processes
Making local purchasing work
Rural geography
Timing (Not having enough time) Different local / State / Federal rules
Variety of foods
Navigational challenges for small school districts
Insufficient inventory / Stock Staff turnover / Understaffed
Lack of training Buy American
1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
Equipment
16 14 12
Lack of support from state agency
Limited storage
Food waste
11
36 Procuring Good Food at School: From Contracts to Lunch Trays |
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