Often, it doesn’t take much to convince kids to make healthier choices. Cornell experts from the Food and Brand Lab and the Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs (BEN Center) have demonstrated that simple changes and environmental cues - such as the layout of the lunch line, the positioning of fruit bowls, or lighting - can increase consumption of healthier foods and decrease plate waste. Now, such practices will be rolled out nationwide, with the help of $5.5 million in grants, announced last week by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The grants focus on implementation of Smarter Lunchrooms strategies developed by Dyson School professors Brian Wansink and David Just.
“Schools have worked hard to serve more fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy and whole grains at mealtime. Strategies like Smarter Lunchrooms give schools simple, actionable, low-cost steps that help make sure that the healthy food on kids’ plates ends up in their stomachs,” said Vilsack.
