Mary Frances Nettles and Deborah H. Carr, 2009. The process of purchasing foodservice equipment or designing school nutrition (SN) facilities can be one of the most challenging yet critical tasks SN directors undertake in their careers. Research related to foodservice equipment and facility design has primarily focused on available equipment in schools to implement The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and on the decision process to select food production systems in schools. Current research is limited on the involvement of SN directors in purchasing equipment or facility design projects. The purpose of this study was to conduct a needs assessment to determine the current state of involvement and knowledge of SN directors in the facility design and equipment purchasing process.
