Foodspace
Harnessing the power of food choice architecture in schools to change the way we eat
Did you know?
Around 95% of decisions we make are made without conscious thought.
As K-12 Food Service Providers, we strongly influence the ‘autopilot’ decisions that kids make in our cafeterias.
Changing their food behaviors begins with us.
Our Opportunity
We can build intentionally designed cafeterias that lead students to automatically select, eat, and enjoy sustainable food options.
The lasting impact:
Well nourished kids, who are developing healthy food habits for life
Increased focus, wellbeing, and academic success
Growth in school meals participation
Engagement of school nutrition staff
A program that supports the health of the planet and district sustainability goals
A district that serves as a lighthouse leader to others around the country
Food Choice Architecture (FCA) is the intentional design of food choices and spaces to make the healthy choices the easiest choice, without restricting options. FCA is rooted in behavioral science and can strongly influence the way we select and enjoy food.
Foodspace is a new term referring to the places and spaces where food decisions are made.
How would we do that?
We can create a food environment where making nutritious food choices is easy and automatic for kids. How? We can use behavioral science to create intentional “nudges” that support the health of people, the planet, and the district.
We can design a foodspace that:
Creates the environment for making healthy food choices to support student outcomes and district goals
Influences kids’ food decisions, which ultimately establish their food behaviors
Outsmarts the brain to leverage autopilot decisions & natural tendency
Promotes healthy, sustainable eating strategies rooted in behavioral science
As a school food service operator, why does this matter?
Through intentional design, schools can significantly influence students’ choices in a way that benefits people, the planet, and the school district.
Encourages Healthier Choices. Schools are embracing their role in making healthy choices easy for students. Food service companies can help students develop healthy eating habits in the long term by designing spaces that promote healthy choices.
Sustainability. Help progress sustainability goals by promoting food waste reduction and local, seasonal, and plant-based foods. Choice architecture can help schools reduce their environmental footprint by reducing food waste.
Enhances Student Wellbeing & Academic Outcomes: Foodspace helps students select, consume, and enjoy nourishing foods. This is an important element that can contribute to academic success, as healthier food choices can enhance cognitive function, focus, and energy levels.
We take an unconventional, “outside in” approach to nutrition & behavior change. Rather than focusing on “what to eat”, we focus on environment design as the key to changing food behaviors.
Understand
why we behave the way we do
Research
how the food environment impacts behavior
Approach
Distill
relevant research findings
Translate
research into actionable strategies
Share
knowledge
Food Choice Architecture in Schools
Our goal is to empower Food Service Teams with the knowledge and skills needed to optimize the food environment to best support your students. The course consists of a series of short video modules covering the topics below. A Checklist is provided to help bring actionable strategies to life.
Click HERE to download materials.
Video Training Modules
Introduction
The Science of Decision Making
Behavior Change
School Food Environment
Sustainable Food Choices
Food Choice Architecture Strategy Overview
Actionable Checklist
Checklist Guide (to be developed)
Call to Action: To accomplish our goal of reaching schools across the US, Foodspace is looking for program feedback, beta-testers, and funding support. If you are a school district or organization that is interested in partnering to help grow and scale the program, please reach out using the form below or email sheryl@foodspacehealth.com. Thank you!
What Else We Offer
Any new program needs to meet the goals of your students and your district. Food choice architecture is a differentiator that can be leveraged to set your nutrition program apart, increasing reimbursable school meals, and creating a positive food environment that encourages student participation and engagement.
Nutrition/choice architecture consulting for tailored support to meet the unique needs of your school/organization
Team Trainings (in-person or virtual) that cover choice architecture basics, a detailed review of the most effective strategies for school food, and how to implement these strategies in your school. The goal is to empower your Food Service Team with the knowledge and skills to bring choice architecture to life.
Sheryl Allen, MS, PhD, RD
The idea to get food choice architecture into schools started in 2022. Through my work supporting the Food Program at Google, I have seen how the environment we create can drive many of our behaviors and food choices. Through intentional food spaces, we can improve the health of people and the planet. My mission is to make behavioral science research and food choice architecture strategies accessible to the audiences that can benefit the most - our youngest diners.
K-12 students are in their formative years and are developing a relationship with food that will stick with them through adulthood. This is our opportunity to expose, excite, and let them enjoy the bounty of foods that are delicious and nourishing! As a mother of 2 young kiddos and a Registered Dietitian, I’m passionate about nourishing our kids to fuel a brighter future.