• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.74-83
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• 2009

We investigated the food service management practices in child care centers operated by various types of foundations in the Chonbuk area of Korea. Self-administered questionnaires were collected from 125 child care center directors. The statistical analysis was completed using an SPSS v11.5 program. Approximately 82.4% of the directors were women with an the average age of 45 years old. The average number of children in each public and private child care center was 84.7 and 88.8, respectively (P<.001), and the difference in time of operation was significant(P<.001). Only 20.8% of the centers employed a dietitian, whereas 92.0% of the centers employed a cook, thus, food service was not managed by professionals in most centers. In approximately 99.2% of the centers, meals were prepared in a conventional manner. The difference in daily meal frequency was significant(P<.05), with approximately 85.6% of the centers serving snacks twice a day primarily to supplement the intake of nutrients(4.44 point) and to add fun to the daily lives of the children(4.12 point). Approximately 40.7% of the directors of public centers and 57.6% of the directors of private centers responded that the most difficult aspect of food service management was financial management. Overall, 56.8% of the directors responded that the details of financial management had the greatest effect on their ability to improve the quality of food service. In most centers, the center director was also the purchasing manager and half of them purchased food every day. Approximately 97% of the directors responded that they do not include instant foods in their menu plans but they would use them if the children wanted to eat them. These results indicate that the food service management in child care centers in the Chonbuk area is relatively inadequate. We strongly recommend that they hire dietitians for food service administration and focus on strengthening sanitation management.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.577-586
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• 2011

This study was carried out to investigate food service management practices in various operation types of child care center in Gyeonggi area of Korea, and to provide basic information for improving food service management policies at child care centers. Self-administrated questionnaires were collected from 102 child care center directors. The statistical analysis was completed using SPSS ver. 18.0 program. Approximately 97.1% of the directors were women. The number of total children were difference in public, private and home care centers respectively (p<0.001), and time of operation was significantly (p<0.01). Only 8.9% of the centers employed a dietitian, whereas 92.5% of the centers employed cook or assistant cook, thus food service was not managed by professionals in most centers. All of the centers had been self-operated and meals were prepared in a conventional manner. In approximately 89.2% of the centers servings snacks twice a day. Menu planner of the centers which have no dietitian was the child care information center (47.5%) or the director (34.7%). In most centers, the directors was also purchasing manager and 36.0% of the center purchased food every day. These results indicated that food service management guidelines need to be established by the child care center type with the government control and financial support. We recommended that they furnish the efficient food service program for food service management.