OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the global quality of the meals offered in the Food and Nutrition Units of companies participating in the Worker's Food Program, in the city of São Paulo . METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 72 companies participating in the program. Information regarding three consecutive days of meals served during lunch, supper and late supper were collected. The quality of the meals was assessed by the Meals Quality Index and its analysis was done in a stratified manner according to the company profile obtained through cluster analysis. RESULTS: The Meals Quality Index mean for the meals was 66.25%. Two groups of companies were obtained through cluster analysis. The companies in the first group consisted mostly of stores and micro- and small-sized companies, registered in the category of self-management and without the supervision of a dietician. They presented the worst meal quality (Index = 56.23). The companies in the second cluster consisted mostly of medium- and big-sized companies that outsourced meal production and counted with the supervision of a dietician. Their mean score on the Index was 82.95. CONCLUSION: The meals offered by the companies participating in the Worker's Food Program were not adequate according to the Meals Quality Index. The smaller companies in size and structure had worse meals when compared with the other companies, showing that companies with this profile should be the priority of interventions within the Worker's Food Program.
Collective feeding; Workplace; Nutrition programmes and policies; Food services
