The effect of new purchase criteria on food procurement for the Brazilian school feeding program.

Objective: To explore the effect of the school feeding program purchase criteria on the quantity, variety and origin of food products acquired for school meals in a municipality in Brazil.

Method: Analysis of purchase lists for two years prior and two years after implementation of the purchase criteria (2010). The origin (family farms (FF)/other providers (OP)) and nutritional characteristics (recommended/controlled) of food products were studied, registering annual varieties (n) and daily quantities (kg/day); contrast of proportions was applied.

Results: The acquisition of recommended products increased, and the quantity of controlled products decreased (p = 0.005). Purchase of legumes and vegetables (p < 0.05) increased and high sugar foods decreased (p = 0.02). The majority of food products in 2010 and 2011 were acquired from OP (64% and 61%), although FF provided the greatest proportion of legumes and vegetables. Ten new varieties of recommended products were incorporated, 9 of which were acquired from FF.

Conclusion: The criteria of direct purchase from family farms resulted in an increase in the variety and quantity of healthy foods in the schools in the municipality.