Current and Future Foodservice Management Performance in Child-care Centers

ABSTRACT

This study examined foodservice management performance in child-care centers and suggests ways in which meal service quality can be improved. Questionnaires were distributed to 51 child-care facilities. The majority of respondents were facility directors (dietitians) and their facility type was tax-paid (92.2%). The dietitian response rate was 51.0%, and the majority (96.2%) were hired with co-management status, visiting a facility once a week (76.0%). Only 52.1% of the facilities had menu planning by a dietitian, and improvements were needed in terms of planning menus with standardized recipes, especially for infant meals. The monthly food cost per child was 47,394 won, and the labor cost for a co-management dietitian was 3,670 won per child, indicating 21.8% and 1.8% of the tuition fee, respectively. Other necessary improvements included more reliable food purchasing management, securing additional foodservice equipment, and better sanitation management. In addition, respondents rated the following as requirements to ensure high quality meal service 'modernized foodservice equipment and facilities', 'government financial support', and 'information on nutrition and foodservice management provided by dietitians'. Based on the study results, the following are recommendations for improving meal service quality in child-care centers Dietitian placement should be extended to facilities of over 50-capacity in addition to their current placement in facilities of over 100-capacity, and co-management dietitians should have their control span restricted to two facilities instead of five. Finally, nationwide nutrition support plans and nutrition education programs should be developed and implemented by dietitians, and their roles should be extended to foodservice mangers as well as nutrition teachers.