New Research Shows Sodexo School Lunch Saves Time, Money and Provides Good Nutrition

New Research Shows Sodexo School Lunch Saves Time, Money and Provides Good
Nutrition
Sodexo School Lunch Saves Parents Up to $1000 and Two 40-Hour Work Weeks

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Sodexo School
Services shows that buying school lunch provides excellent nutrition and saves
parents money and time. Parents with three children can save up to $1,000 per
school year and about two 40-hour work weeks of time by purchasing school
lunch at one of the 470 school districts Sodexo serves instead of packing a
lunchbox.

Sodexo School Services conducted the research for National School Lunch Week,
Oct. 12 to 19, to determine if participating in a Sodexo school lunch program
is a solution for parents who are concerned about good nutrition, stretching
their food budget and are pressed for time.

"Our study assessed how much time and money a sampling of families spent on
preparing the contents of a lunchbox and we compared it to the nutritional
content, price and time savings of a Sodexo school lunch," said Roxanne Moore,
registered dietitian and Sodexo's national wellness director. "The Sodexo
school lunch won hands down on price, time, nutrient density and variety to
satisfy students' need for change."

The research showed that the average home-packed lunch contains a sandwich,
usually peanut butter and jelly, a drink, a snack or two, and fruit, either
fresh or in pre-packaged containers. The cost to pack this type of lunch can
vary from $2.50 to $4.00 or more depending on portions served. The national
average price of a school lunch purchased in a cafeteria is $1.80. The study
recommends that the savings could be redirected to provide better nutrition to
families on week nights and weekends and could extend a family's grocery
budget. Parents in the study group reported spending up to 30 minutes each day
preparing and packing their children's lunch. Buying a Sodexo school lunch
saves the average family up to $88 and 10 hours per month.

"Families can substitute the time it takes to pack a lunch and use it to be
active, read, cook a family meal together or play a game," Moore said. "This
balance and good nutrition will benefit children at home and at school."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established meal pattern and nutrient
guidelines for the National School Lunch Program. Schools are reviewed for
compliance. Schools offer fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and more whole
grain products than ever before.

Sodexo is committed to take measurable sustainable actions that ensure a
brighter future in the areas of health and wellness, environmental stewardship
and community development. Sodexo School Services focuses on nutrition,
achievements, environment, community and activity to promote student well
being.

Sodexo, Inc.
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com) is a leading integrated facilities management
services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in
annual revenue and 120,000 employees. Sodexo serves more than ten million
customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care and retirement
centers, schools, college campuses, government, and remote sites. Sodexo,
Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., is a member of Sodexo Group, and
funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation
(www.sodexofoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since
its founding in 1999, has made more than $11 million in grants to fight hunger
in America.

SOURCE Sodexo, Inc.

Monica Zimmer, +1-301-987-4461, monica.zimmer@sodexo.com, or Gregory Yost,
+1-301-987-4214, gregory.yost@sodexo.com, both of Sodexo, Inc.