Healthy eating in childhood and adolescence is important for proper growth and development and to prevent various health conditions. Consuming the recommended amount of vegetables each day is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. This equals 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day, depending on age and gender. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 6.3% of adults in Kentucky meet the daily vegetable intake recommendations and most youth still do not meet fruit and vegetable recommendations. In addition, Kentucky is ranked third out of 51 states for childhood obesity and in 2018, 20.8% of youth ages 10 to 17 were categorized as obese. 

The Cooperative Extension Service (CES) infrastructure and subject matter expertise are well suited for helping school systems create healthier environments for student’s through policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) approaches.  In order to increase healthy eating in Kentucky youth, CES collaborated with three Middle Schools across the state to implement the Smarter Lunchrooms Marketing Project by utilizing the NEP Plate Waste Pilot Study. The participating middle schools included Morgan, Pendleton, and Woodford County. The project reinforces healthy eating and nudges youth toward nutritious foods by using evidence-based, lunchroom-focused principles to promote healthy eating. This is done by implementing low-cost/no-cost changes in lunchrooms that focus on changing the school lunch environment. Therefore, increasing fruit and vegetable sales and participation by encouraging greater consumption of healthier foods, all while keeping a variety of food choices for students without completely eliminating unhealthy choices from the menu. The primary objective of this study was to conduct a pre-post prospective plate waste study.

Schools and school cafeterias are in a unique position to provide students with opportunities to learn about and practice healthy eating behaviors.  The CES Family and Consumer Science Agent from each participating county met with the Cafeteria Manager to analyze current practices to encourage healthy eating as well as areas for improvement. Together the staff will fill out the UK Nutrition Education Program’s Smarter Lunchrooms Project School Environment Assessment (Pre- Implementation, Mid-Implementation, Post Implementation, and Follow Up). Based on the Environment Assessment three environmental changes were focused on; vegetable attractiveness, nutrition messaging, and promoting change. Posters, large dry-erase menu boards, creative fruit names are displayed on monthly and daily menus, fruit/vegetable being served at the front of the line, displayed at kids eye level, clear serving bowls, banners, and daily vegetable/fruit fact cards based on each vegetable/fruit being served were utilized throughout the cafeteria to help encourage youth to choose healthier options. Lunchroom records will be collected after each day, to compare what PSE changes made an impact on reducing food waste.

Before the intervention, the three County Middle Schools combined had 290 lbs. of fruit and vegetable waste. After the intervention, fruit and vegetable waste was 256 lbs. For that reason, preliminary data appears to show that fruit and vegetable intake increased by means of plate waste decreased.