Beyond the Cafeteria: The Impact of a Classroom-Based Nutrition Program on Attendance, Academic, and Behavioral Outcomes

This paper evaluates the impact of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), a federal classroom-based nutrition program, on elementary schools in Illinois. Using a staggered difference-in-differences framework that accounts for schools moving in and out of funding status, I examine how classroom-based school nutrition programs influence school-level behavioral and academic outcomes. I find that FFVP funding increases school attendance rates, but there are no changes to standardized test scores or disciplinary referrals. These findings suggest that fresh food incentives successfully improve school attendance but are limited in their ability to change trajectories in standardized testing or student conduct.