| Project: Testing a Food Choice Innovation for Middle School Cafeterias |
| Award Year: 2010 |
| Amount of award, fiscal 2010: $30,000.00 |
| Institution: University of North Texas |
| Principal Investigator: Priscilla Connors |
| Status: Ongoing |
| Detailed Objective: This project will develop and pilot test an innovative strategy, based on behavioral economics principles, for encouraging middle school students to make more nutritious choices from lunchtime cafeteria options. Researchers will collect data on menus, food choices, consumption, and plate waste in selected Texas middle school cafeterias, and will observe the choice architecture in those cafeterias. Data will be used to identify potential strategies to encourage nutritious choices and decrease waste while maintaining cafeteria revenues and minimally affecting cafeteria operations. The most promising innovative strategy will be selected and pilot tested in two middle school cafeterias. |
| Topic: Behavioral Economics, Child Nutrition, School Lunch and Breakfast |