ITHACA, N.Y.—Researchers at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab are conducting their Smarter Lunchrooms Initiative to discover and share low-cost changes that can be made in lunchrooms to subtly guide smarter food choices. Researchers observed a 58-percent increase in fresh fruit sales at one Upstate New York school simply by moving the fruit from a stainless-steel tray and into a basket lit by an ordinary desk lamp.
“The best solution is often the simplest one," the lead researcher said. "Rather than penalizing a less healthy food choice, we just made the healthier item much more likely to be noticed and chosen."
