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  1. Nourishment
  2. Strategic Dining Design

Strategic Dining Design

Features>Nourishment>P7. Strategic Dining Design

P7. Strategic Dining Design

The way that dining environments are designed can shape eating habits through the way certain options are presented over others. Dining areas that offer healthy options while increasing the appeal and visibility of healthy foods have a positive impact on the formation of healthier eating habits, while dining spaces with easily accessible unhealthy foods can more easily allow opportunities for unhealthy decisions.

This feature aims to create an eating environment that better promotes healthy habits in food consumption decisions.

Part 1: Assessment Scorecard

Early education, elementary, middle and high school cafeterias, if present, meet the following requirement:

a.164 An annual score of 70 or higher on the Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment Scorecard.
Part 2: Healthy Food Convenience

The following requirement is met:

a.73 A "healthy convenience" checkout line is arranged for only whole grain products, non-flavored low-fat or non-fat dairy products (and dairy alternatives) and fruit and vegetable purchases.
Part 3: Seating Choice Variety

The following requirements are met:

a.175 Elevated, high-top tables and seats comprise at least 25% of the total seat options available in the dining space.
b.175 Booth seats comprise no more than 25% of the total seat options available in the dining space.
Part 4: Quiet Dining Zone

The following requirement is met:

a.175 If a television is present, a television-free section of the dining space is available with tables and seats that comprise at least 25% of the total seat options available in the dining space.

Applicability Matrix

Core & Shell New & Existing Buildings New & Existing Interiors
Part 1: Assessment Scorecard - - -
Part 2: Healthy Food Convenience - - -
Part 3: Seating Choice Variety - - -
Part 4: Quiet Dining Zone - - -
Commercial Kitchen Education Multifamily Residential Restaurant Retail
Part 1: Assessment Scorecard - P - - -
Part 2: Healthy Food Convenience - P - O -
Part 3: Seating Choice Variety - - - O -
Part 4: Quiet Dining Zone - - - O -

Verification Methods Matrix

Letters of Assurance Annotated Documents On-Site Checks
Part 1: Assessment Scorecard Architect Assessment Scorecard
Part 2: Healthy Food Convenience Architect Visual Inspection
Part 3: Seating Choice Variety Architect Spot Check
Part 4: Quiet Dining Zone Architect Spot Check

73

Hanks AS, Just DR, Wansink B. Smarter Lunchrooms Can Address New School Lunchroom Guidelines and Childhood Obesity. 2013. The Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 162, Issue 4, pp. 867-869.
P7.2.a

Smarter Lunchrooms Can Address New School Lunchroom Guidelines and Childhood Obesity uses an intervention that features a "healthy convenience line" for healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables.
164

The B.E.N. Center. The Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment Scorecard. http://smarterlunchrooms.org/sites/default/files/lunchroom_self-assessmt_score_card.final_.4-3-14.pdf. Updated April 3, 2014. Accessed March 30, 2015.
P7.1.a

The Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment Scorecard is a tool that can be used to assist school administrators in evaluating lunchrooms and identifying areas for improvement. A score of 70 or higher indicates an achievement of Smarter Lunchrooms Gold.
175

Wansink B. Restaurant Dining by Design. In: Slim By Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everday Life. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers; 2014: 65-111.
P7.3.a

Slim by Design notes that people sitting at high-top bar tables seem to order more salads and fewer desserts.
P7.3.b

Slim by Design notes that people sitting at dark tables or booths seem to consume heavier foods and larger quantities of food.
P7.4.a

Slim By Design notes that restaurants could have a TV-free section for some patrons.
Features>Nourishment>P7. Strategic Dining Design