• High school teachers who teach health, nutrition, or consumer science classes
• Dieticians who teach food selection and portion control
• University extension professionals involved in consumer or nutrition outreach
• College professors in psychology, nutrition, and human behavior

How can this site make me a better teacher?

You can do the following:
• Download the “In Short” summaries to read or to assign to students
• Use the “Teaching Tips“ to make vivid demonstrations
• Print out the Cartoons and make transparencies to liven up a class
• Skim the “Free” section for summary sheets or to loan a video tape
• Assign web-site homework that involves students surfing the website.

What sort of homework questions could I ask related to this site?

• Do people pour more into wide glasses or skinny glasses? (They pour 32-43% more in wide glasses)
• How many less chocolate kisses will you eat each day if you move them 6 feet from your desk? (Half as many – 3 instead of 6)
• How much more movie popcorn will you eat if you are given an extra large popcorn tub? (45% more)
• What percent of the products people buy go to waste? (12%)
• What do descriptive names make you do in restaurants? (They make you think the food tastes better than if it has a plain name)
• What do numerical grocery signs (“2 for $2“ or “limit 12“) cause you to do? (Buy twice as much)

Do You Have Any Videos I Could Borrow to Use in Class?

Over the years, a number of news shows have filmed us doing experiments or they’ve interviewed us about Food Psychology. We’ve collected some of our favorite news clips together onto one VHS. We typically use parts of this when doing workshops for consumers (see Consumer Camp). Although we can’t give this out (we don’t have the copyright to the different news shows), we can let you borrow it for up to 30 days. If you send $2.30 in postage and your address we’ll send you either the VHS (which has TV clips) or a CD (which has magazine articles). All we ask is that you return it to us within a month.

Can Students Use this for Projects?

Sure. They can try to replicate (repeat) some of these studies or you can do them in class. Others have used this for science fair ideas. You can set up small studies with friends, or do taste tests (with and without labels), or set out different kinds (or colors) of candy and see how much people eat.

Can You Help with the Expenses?

To help students with some of the costs of their projects, we have established the Wansink Consumer Education Foundation to help with some expenses for science fairs and class projects. The Foundation offers small expense-related grants to elementary and secondary students who are conducting school-based projects aimed at helping make people smarter when it comes to food and to shopping choices. These grants are typically in the range of $25-75 and the projects are related to science fairs or nutrition-related school projects. Click here for more information.

What’s Consumer Camp?

The 2006 Consumer Camp will be held Appril 6–8 on the Cornell University Campus in Ithaca, NY. This provides a “hands-on” opportunity for people of all ages to learn how to be better consumers. A lot of local teachers bring their students. You can come for free and bring your students.

Are There College Scholars to Study Food Psychology?

The Consumer Education Foundation offers textbook scholarships to selected college-bound high school seniors who are interested in following a career focused on responsible consumer education. High school students who are “first generation” college-bound students or who are from rural areas are especially encouraged to apply. The application is based less on GPA than on a desire to help consumers. We especially welcome applications to students interested in attending a state-funded university or any one of the traditionally black colleges supported by the United Negro College Fund.

cardi logo and a e m logo and Cornell University