TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose In many countries, schools move toward healthier canteen assortments by limiting the supply of unhealthy foods. The question arises whether this gives any undesirable side effects with students (e.g. compensation in purchases from school to outside retailers, reactance) and how to handle these so that operating school canteens remains financially viable. The purpose of this paper is to identify perspectives toward healthy school food assortments held by vocational education students and professionals within secondary and vocational schools with responsibility for school food policy (e.g. school canteen workers, teachers, school directors) in the Netherlands.Design/methodology/approach Four focus groups were conducted with students at a vocational school (n=25 in total). A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct discussions. The interview guide also included three school canteen scenario’s (A: 100 percent healthy food, B: 50 percent healthy/50 percent unhealthy foods and C: 100 percent unhealthy food) and a set of nine intervention strategies. A brief survey included questions on the same three scenario’s and nine intervention strategies. A web-based survey was conducted among 68 professionals responsible for school food policy and included their evaluation of the same canteen scenarios and interventions. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Content analysis was done on the qualitative data.Findings School food professionals were highly supportive of Scenario A (100 percent healthy food), as this formed a better fit with their policies and was believed to stronger encourage healthy eating. They did worry about financial feasibility given lower affordability and student reluctance to accept the assortment. Students were less in favor of Scenario A. Students discussed getting value for money and remaining freedom to make unhealthy choices. The authors discuss implications for policy makers who aim to implement measures to improve young people’s eating habits.Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on creating healthier school food environments. This study uniquely examines a healthier school canteen from a viability perspective, including the views of students as primary customers. Given the need to progressively increase the number of foods complying to dietary guidelines in canteen assortments, this study provides insights into how and why assortment changes best can be implemented.
VL  - 121
IS  - 9
SN  - 0007-070X
DO  - 10.1108/BFJ-08-2018-0514
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-08-2018-0514
AU  - van Kleef Ellen
AU  - Meeuwsen Tanja
AU  - Rigterink Jetteke
AU  - Van Trijp Hans
PY  - 2019
Y1  - 2019/01/01
TI  - Moving towards a healthier assortment in secondary and vocational school food environments: Perspectives of Dutch students and school food policy professionals
T2  - British Food Journal
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 2052
EP  - 2066
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -