Subsidizing healthier food options in school cafeterias significantly affects the foods being purchased by students. Ensuring the availability of healthy options is a key part of encouraging students to make smart and healthy decisions related to food.
Snelling’s 2007 study showed that students purchase foods in proportion to what is available. Thus if healthier foods are more available, students are more likely to purchase them. It has also been shown that decreasing the price of fruits and vegetables significantly increases the amount purchased in high schools. In French’s 2003 study, the number of fruits and vegetables purchased increased fourfold when prices were decreased.
For More Information:
Effectiveness of Subsidies in Healthy Food
The National School Lunch and Competitive Food Offerings and Purchasing Behaviors of High School Students
Pricing Effects on Food Choices