More Kids Are Eating Fruits And Vegetables In Schools, And That's A Good Thing

The Obama administration’s efforts to get kids to eat better may have been controversial in some quarters, but they do seem to be working. A new study finds that kids who receive subsidized school lunches are eating more fruits and vegetables than before and throwing away less food, too.

Conducted by the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut, the research tracked students at 12 middle schools in New Haven before and after the regulations were introduced. The percentage of students choosing fruit rose from 54% to 66%, and students ate more of their main dish, indicating they were more satisfied (84% on average last year, compared to 71% in the spring of 2012).

“I think the changes made a lot of sense and there are a lot of districts, like the one we studied, that have been successful in implementing them,” says Marlene Schwartz, the lead author of the study and the director of the Rudd Center. “I think one of the keys was offering a variety of fruits and vegetables. That makes it more likely that students will take them.”

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Fast Company