A new study conducted by researchers has revealed that consumption of fruits and vegetables in students can be increased by teaming up school's cafeteria employees with trained chefs.

The study was conducted by the researchers from Harvard School of Public Health. They found that if schools collaborate with a professional chef, it can get kids to eat healthier foods.

The researchers conducted a school-based randomized clinical trial among 14 elementary and middle schools in two urban, low-income school districts. The study involved 2,638 students in grades three through eight.

The researchers assigned a program of chef-enhanced meals at four randomly selected schools. These schools received weekly training and recipe design from a professionally trained chef while others received choice architecture techniques (environmental nudges). Some schools received both and the rest received no intervention.

It was found that students attending schools assisted by chefs selected 8% more vegetables than students in schools that did not receive assistance from a chef.

After seven months it was found that students in the chef intervention were 20% more likely to choose fruits than students at other schools. Also, students in chef-assisted schools had 30% increased odds of choosing a vegetable.

Juliana Cohen, research associate at Harvard School of Public Health, and the lead author of the study, said, "The results highlight the importance of focusing on the palatability of school meals. Partnerships with chefs can lead to substantial improvements in the quality of school meals and can be an economically feasible option for schools".

He added that the study also shows that schools should not abandon healthier foods even if they are met with resistance by students.