Why do restaurants use appealing descriptive adjectives like “succulent” or “fresh” on their menus? Because it makes dishes sound more appealing and can even make us enjoy our meal more! This very same low- cost technique can also be used to make healthy foods in school meals more appealing to students. In this webinar, David Just, PhD, Behavioral Economist and Co-Director of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs (BEN Center) and Smarter Lunchrooms Movement, shares the psychology behind why increasing appeal increases selection and consumption of healthy foods. He also shares some practical advice and best practices based on real-world challenges and successes.
Learning Objectives
- Understanding of the psychology and evidence behind renaming and increasing the appeal of healthy dishes to increase selection and consumption
- Best practices for making healthy foods more appealing in the lunchroom
Resources
- PDF of Webinar Slides
- Sample Fun Food Names for Middle Schoolers – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Sample Descriptive Food Names for High Schoolers – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Video: Enhance Taste Expectations – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Attractive names sustain increased vegetable intake in schools- Preventative Medicine
- Can Branding Improve School Lunches? – JAMA Pediatrics
- Child Plating Preferences: Add Color and Variety to Children’s Plates! – Cornell Food and Brand Lab
- Create a SNAC (Student Nutrition Action Committee) of students responsible for the naming of and creating signage for veggies – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Give Vegetables Creative Names – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Give targeted entrées creative/descriptive age-targeted names and display the names on cards next to or with the targeted entrées on the serving line – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Display the creative/descriptive age-targeted names on a poster or menu board outside the cafeteria – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Video: Name That Food! – Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Ohio Smarter Luncrhoom Movement Successes – Ohio Smarter Lunchrooms Movement
- Video: Name that Meal: Themes Boost Mealtime Engagement and Participation – Michigan Team Nutrition