Six Ways to Encourage Students to Enjoy Fresh Produce

With a new school year beginning, now is an ideal time to plan school food menus. School foodservice professionals play an essential role in shaping what children eat, what they are willing to try, and how they develop their attitudes toward food.

Since school-aged children receive school meals, featuring vegetables and fruits in school meals could help increase students’ produce consumption, improve their overall diet quality, and support their readiness to learn.

School meals also create meaningful opportunities for students to build positive relationships with food and develop healthy eating habits that can last well beyond the school years.

Here are six practical strategies to encourage students to enjoy more vegetables and fruits.

1. BUILD PRODUCE INTO FOODS STUDENTS ALREADY ENJOY

While offering vegetables and fruits as side options is one way to encourage intake, incorporating them into familiar, well-liked menu items can also be effective. Students may be more willing to try and enjoy vegetables and fruits when they are included in foods they already recognize and enjoy, such as tacos, pasta, sandwiches, pizza, wraps, rice bowls, soups, smoothies and breakfast parfaits.

For example, schools could offer chicken fajita bowls with lettuce, salsa, corn, bell peppers and fruit; turkey burgers topped with tomato, cucumber slices and lettuce; whole grain pasta with marinara sauce and roasted vegetables; bean and vegetable burritos with shredded lettuce and tomato salsa; or yogurt parfaits with mixed berries and diced peaches.

For additional inspiration, consider exploring the wide range of kid-friendly, standardized recipes available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Team Nutrition website.

2. CONSIDER COLOR AND VARIETY DURING MENU PLANNING

Food presentation, which involves color, texture and variety, plays an important role in menu planning. These elements make meals more visually appealing, support nutrient diversity, and increase food acceptance among students.

When planning the cycle menu, aim to include a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits throughout the week, including dark green, orange and yellow, red, purple, and blue, and white and brown produce. This approach helps create meals that are nutritious, visually inviting, and compliant with federal nutrition standards.

For individual menu items or daily meals, avoid repetition within the same color group when possible. For example, offering white potatoes, cauliflower and pears in the same meal may make the plate appear pale-looking, unless the dish also includes brighter-colored ingredients. Adding color contrast to dishes, such as leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, berries, or peppers, to complement lighter colored food items, could make the meal more attractive and encourage students to try and enjoy a wider variety of foods.

3. MAKE PRODUCE AN EASY CHOICE

Consider working with school administrators and staff to create a healthy school food environment where nutritious food and beverage options are visible, appealing and easy for students to choose.

For example, place grab-and-go fruits, colorful vegetable cups, and pre-portioned salads near the front of the serving line to help make these options more accessible and inviting. If buffet-style service is available, consider having a build-your-own salad bar available to give students choice and autonomy while encouraging them to explore a variety of vegetables and fruits.

4. RESPECT CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS PREFERENCES

When planning the school food menu, it is important to offer items that reflect the cultural and religious values, and dietary preferences of the school community. Providing foods that are familiar, meaningful and inclusive may improve food acceptability and increase the likelihood that students will choose and enjoy the meals offered. Offering culturally and religiously preferred food options also demonstrates the school’s commitment to creating a respectful and inclusive environment for all students.

5. INVOLVE STUDENTS WITH MENU PLANNING

Involving students in menu planning may also help make school meals more appealing, acceptable, and enjoyable. When students have opportunities to share their preferences and feedback, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership over the menu and be open to trying new foods.

For instance, before adding a new food item to the menu, consider partnering with the school’s administrative team to engage students through taste-testing events.

Offering new foods in a low-pressure, welcoming environment can encourage students to try items they might not otherwise choose, while also providing valuable and candid feedback.

If reducing food waste is also a goal, students can be invited to vote on new menu items, suggest recipe names, and participate in food waste audits. Their input can help identify which foods are most acceptable, guide future menu planning, and support efforts to reduce waste.

6. CONNECT MENUS WITH NUTRITION-RELATED ACTIVITIES

Lastly, supporting students in becoming more familiar with and accepting of vegetables and fruits can extend beyond the cafeteria.

If your school has access to outdoor space for building a school garden, the infrastructure to support cooking activities, or both, consider partnering with school administrators and staff to offer hands-on opportunities for students to grow, harvest, prepare and cook produce.

Research suggests that these experiences may help build students’ food literacy, confidence, and curiosity about trying new produce, thereby increasing their produce consumption over time.

Novella Lui, RD, MHSc is a registered dietitian and a freelance food, nutrition, and health writer in Canada. Connect with Novella at info@livetonourish.com for work samples and collaboration opportunities.