| This dissertation explores the food choices of three groups. The first chapter explores the food choices of parents of elementary age school children using a stated preference survey approach. I explore whether school lunch calorie levels affect household perceptions of the healthfulness and intended consumption of National School Lunch Program lunches by presenting parents of school-aged children from a suburban school district a weekly lunch menu where each day's meal content, calorie level, and price are randomly assigned.;Calorie level is not statistically significant for the lunch purchase decision across all income groups and has limited predictive power in the latent class model. However, calorie level has an indirect effect on the lunch purchase via the perceived school lunch health rating with lower calorie meals receiving higher health ratings. A simulation of school lunch profitability indicates that reducing meal calorie content has a modest, positive effect on the school lunch program profitability for the affluent school district studied.;The second chapter explores the food choices of parents using a revealed preference survey approach. This study explores the determinants of early elementary student demand for school lunches in a school district with substantial demand variability due to high incomes, an open campus lunch policy and close proximity to children's residences.;This study analyzes daily meal production records containing calorie information, serving date, portion size, and number of children served from 2002 - 2009 from a suburban elementary school for grades K through 3. The linear, log-linear, and log-log forms of the multiple regression model were used to estimate the effect of day, month, school year, and protein source, calorie information, precipitation, and temperature data on the number of meals purchased.;The protein source of the main entree had the largest effect of alterable lunch elements. Calorie information also plays a significant role in the purchase decision, with the number of meals purchased increasing in calorie level. While the calorie effect is statistically significant, the effect size is modest, suggesting sales and profitability during this era would be insensitive to changes in calorie levels similar to those required by the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010.;The third chapter explores the food choices of college students. University Residential and Dining Services at Ohio State University revamped its meal plans when the university calendar system transitioned from quarters to semesters in 2012. This study explores the tensions that can arise at institutions of higher education by modeling the choices made by students at Ohio State University under an unusual set of incentives created by a popular meal plan offered to students. |
