School meal innovation lab report shares top rate menu concepts in 2017
The findings of this study highlighted that adults and kids both rated menu options very similarly.
The 2017 School Meal Innovation Lab created and evaluated 10 new school foodservice menu concepts with 900 K-12 students and compared their reactions with 1,020 adults. In this unique dining study, Y-Pulse, New York, worked with a team of chefs and dietitians to create restaurant quality menu concepts that meet school meal nutrition requirements. The study's participants evaluated these menu concepts through photographs and menu descriptions.
"The study found that both adults and kids liked the same foods, but quite often expected to find them in restaurants rather than in school cafeterias," says Sharon Olson, executive director. "This study points to an opportunity for school nutrition professionals to build awareness among their young consumers and their parents about the quality of school meals."