10/10/2025
💭 What is Choice Architecture and how can simple nudges improve what pupils eat at school? 🍎
Choice architecture is how the layout and presentation of options influence what we choose, often without us realising it.
In school canteens, it means using design and subtle cues to nudge pupils toward healthier foods.
✨ It’s not about removing choice, it’s about shaping the environment so that the healthy choice becomes the easy choice.
📊 Bangor University (2023) found that small changes (like putting fruit first in the queue, using fun names (“Super Strength Carrots”), and making healthy options more visible, significantly increased fruit intake, with no added cost or waste.
📚 University of Bristol (2025) also found that children who were picky eaters as toddlers developed broader diets by age 13 if they regularly ate school meals, thanks to variety, peer influence, and repeated exposure.
🍽️ Want to try this in your school?
🔹 Place fruit near the tills
🔹 Add colourful, creative labels
🔹 Offer veg first in line
🔹 Make healthy snacks easy to grab
Small design tweaks can spark big, lasting changes in pupils’ eating habits. 🌱
Are you using nudges or choice architecture in your school canteen?
💬 Share your experiences or ideas below!
