1. Using Behavioral
Economics in
Lunchrooms
Amber Garcia

2. The Problem
 Children and teens choose what they eat everyday in the
lunch line
 What is offered isn’t the problem, it’s what the students are
choosing
 Can we change what they choose with a few basic changes
in the lunchroom?

3. The (possible) Answer
 Using behavioral economics and switching a few things
around can help kids pick better-for-you foods

4. Switch the Fruit and Milk
 The milk is usually at the end of the lunch line, so when kids
don’t have enough on their tray, the cashier offers the child a
milk to complete their meal.
 If the fruit is at the end of the line, not only does it entice
children waiting to pay to pick one up as a last minute
purchase, but it can be offered as a completing component of
the child’s lunch by the cashier.
 Fruit, unlike milk, keeps longer, and therefore, can be put in a
backpack and brought to class for later consumption.

5. Salad
 Moving a salad bar from against a wall or out of sight to the
middle of the lunchroom will boost sales of salads.
 People (even children) will want to eat something they can
see, even salad!

6. Keep the Tray
 At one point trays were omitted at some schools to try and
cut down on waste.
 Instead it back-fired and children were taking more of what
they like, not including fruits and veggies on their plate, and
choosing dessert instead.
 Tray’s provide room to get the main and side dishes of a
meal, and even dessert.
 Portioning items is the best way to reduce waste, and still
allow children to pick up all the different components of a
meal.

7. Default Options
 It was believed that if the default side dish was a healthy one,
children will stick to it rather than switch it for something
unhealthy if asked.
 In one trial, students were given french fries as a default and
were offered apple slices with caramel sauce to replace the
fries. 20 out of 21 students stayed with the fries.
 A few days later, students were given apples with caramel
sauce as the default side, and were offered fries as an
alternative. 21 out of 22 students switched to fries.
 Preference seems to override convenience in school-aged
children.

8. Cash for Desserts
 Rather than taking dessert away from the lunchroom
altogether, accepting only cash for desserts and soft drinks
forces students to decide if they really want that ice cream.
 Taking cash out of a pocket has proven time after time how
someone must think about their purchase, rather than
mindlessly putting it on a debit card or school account.

9. Conclusion
 All in all, there are definite ways to change a student’s eating
habits in the lunchroom.
 Moving the fruit and milk, offering a salad bar in a specific
place in the lunchroom, using trays and accepting only cash
for dessert and soft drinks are all ways we can affect a
students purchasing and eating habits in school lunch rooms.