Healthy School Cafeterias

Resources on this page can be used for the Food Sciences project on school cafeteria programming and design.

Start here:

• Learn about trends in school nutrition with this report from the School Nutrition Association (2017)

• Read stories of schools that have implemented Smarter Lunchroom programming

GOAL: Build background knowledge of current developments and issues in school lunch programs. Develop essential questions for further, peer-reviewed research.

Next step:

• Begin exploring the research surrounding school cafeteria programs

• Evaluate research findings: how do they support or contradict what you already know?

• What kinds of problems does the research bring up? How does it suggest they be addressed?

• Resource Links:

  • School Nutrition Association: Child Nutrition Research by Topic

  • Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

  • The Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs

GOAL: Find evidence based, credible research to help you answer your research question. Begin brainstorming strategies to get students to eat healthier.

Evaluation:

• Explore the Smarter Lunchrooms score card and external research references. How do their suggestions compare to the research you found?

• Read the strategies for creating healthier lunchrooms. Are there any that are supported by your research?

• Compile the recommendations you have found in your research. Evaluate if they are backed by evidence and feasible at our school.

GOAL: Use your research to critically analyze recommendations. Decide what strategies have enough evidence to try in our cafeteria and plan how to implement them.

Citing Your Sources

Always make sure to cite ALL sources you used when researching. For tips and citation generators, see the Citation Station page.