Emoticons, prizes help kids eat healthy

SAN DIEGO — Healthy food choices can be difficult to make at any age — but they’re especially difficult when you’re eating in a school cafeteria. But could the solution be so simple as to serve this foods with an, ahem, smile? A new study to be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in San Diego says yes.

The study consisted of two phases: The first placed green smiley face emotions by the most nutritious foods in a school cafeteria, including fruits, vegetables, plain milk, annd whole grain entrees. The second phase, which occurred three months after the first, introduced what’s called a “power plate:” a plate that’s filled with four healthy foods. Anyone who chose to eat a power plate received a small prize, from a sticker to mini beach ball. After both phases, cashiers used their receipts to measure differences in the purchase of healthy foods over the course of the study.

The results showed plain milk purchases increased 549 percent, rising from 7.4 percent of total sales to 48 percent total. Chocolate milk sales, on the other hand, decreased from 86.5 to 44.6 percent (though overall milk purchases were about the same from the start to finish of the study).

In addition to plain milk, fruit sales increased by 20 percent; vegetable sales increased by 62 percent; and the power plate selection increased 335 percent. This study suggests emoticons and small prizes give kids incentive to make healthier food choices.