The consumption of whole grains has several health benefits, however, most US consumers - including young adults - do not meet the recommended consumption intake. To understand the underlying factors affecting the intention and consumption of whole grain pasta, a survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was developed and administered to US college students. For four weeks, participants (n = 325) either did not receive any information (control) or received weekly messages on the health benefits of whole grain pasta (e.g., high fiber and niacin contents) in the forms of gain- (treatment 1) or loss-framed (treatment 2) information. Variables of the TPB model and consumers' perceptions were investigated both at Time 1, when the first message was received (week 0), and at Time 2, one month after the intervention (week 4). Results from the two moments were compared. We found that the TPB measures and perceived usefulness were not influenced by the treatment group; however, the gain-framed message engendered greater message engagement than the loss-framed one. Finally, results from the structural equation model showed that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were positively associated with the intention to consume whole grain pasta, and the intention was a strong determinant of participants' behavior. Based on our results, implications and suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Reduction of meat intake and increase in vegetable consumption have attracted considerable attention from researchers and food businesses. We conducted a field experiment in a university canteen with the aim of investigating the main behavioral factors determining the consumption of a blended meat-mushroom burger. 296 students who consumed the blended burger completed a structured survey including hedonic and attitudinal questions. We then contacted the same sample after 1 month to measure their reported behavior. Our results show that providing information highlighting the sustainability attributes of mushrooms has the most significant and positive impact on acceptability in comparison to information related to nutrition and indulgence. In addition, the participants' beliefs about the health and sustainable benefits of mushrooms positively impact their attitude toward the blended burger. This then significantly influences their behavioral intention to purchase the product, which proves to be a good predictor of the consumption behavior. Our findings suggest marketing opportunities arising from blending plant-based ingredients with meat products.

College students’ lifestyle and eating habits strongly affect their health. Among many healthy eating behaviors, including whole grain food in the diet is known as providing health benefits such as maintaining a steady blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and since it is rich in fiber and minerals, it is essential for the well-being. However, consumers’ intakes of whole grain products remain below recommendation, including college students. This study aims to evaluate determinant factors contributing to college students’ willingness to include whole grain pasta in their diets. A sample of 499 students enrolled in a US college participated in this study. Most students perceived whole grain pasta as healthy and filling and somewhat tasty. Availability and price were not barriers for consumption. Logistic regression results suggested that factors affecting students’ willingness to consume whole grain pasta in the future were the desire to eat, cognitive and affective attitudes, perception of whole grain pasta, as well as having already chosen pasta thanks to its availability at the dining. Two student segments were identified according to their healthy eating perception: Uninvolved and Health-conscious. Cognitive attitudes such as beneficial and essential had positive effects on consumption in both segments, suggesting that information provision covering specific health/nutritional benefits of whole grains for students is crucial.

In recent years, the rise in meat consumption has been criticized for health, environmental, and ethical reasons. This trend has fostered the shift from a meat-centric diet to a plant-forward diet. A prime example of this is the introduction of "blended meat products" that mix plant-based ingredients into meat-based foods. This study designed and implemented a survey in a U.S. college campus residential dining hall (n = 296) to investigate the impact of key demographic, motivational and attitudinal factors on the purchase intention of a meat-mushroom blended burger in which mushrooms partially replaced beef. The results show that young consumers with a positive perception of a sustainable diet, with a positive attitude toward food innovation, and with a positive motivation to process sustainability and nutrition information were more likely to purchase the meat-mushroom blended burger. The results have implications for marketers, policymakers, as well as for retailers. These findings can help them better understand young consumers' behavior and identify strategies to encourage young adults to shift from a meat-centric diet to a plant-forwarded diet.

Abstract In recent years, the rise in meat consumption has been criticized for health, environmental, and ethical reasons. This trend has fostered the shift from a meat-centric diet to a plant-forward diet. A prime example of this is the introduction of “blended meat products” that mix plant-based ingredients into meat-based foods. This study designed and implemented a survey in a U.S. college campus residential dining hall (n=296) to investigate the impact of key demographic, motivational and attitudinal factors on the purchase intention of a meat-mushroom blended burger in which mushrooms partially replaced beef. The results show that young consumers with a positive perception of a sustainable diet, with a positive attitude toward food innovation, and with a positive motivation to process sustainability and nutrition information were more likely to purchase the meat-mushroom blended burger. The results have implications for marketers, policymakers, as well as for retailers. These findings can help them better understand young consumers\u0027 behavior and identify strategies to encourage young adults to shift from a meat-centric diet to a plant-forwarded diet.

Health messages may be an important predictor in the selection of healthier food choices among young adults. The primary objective of our study is to test the impact of labeling whole grain pasta with a health message descriptor displayed at the point-of-purchase (POP) on consumer choice in a campus dining setting. The study was conducted in a large US college dining venue during lunch service; data were collected during a nine-week period, for a total of 18 days of observation. Each day, an information treatment (i.e., no-message condition; vitamin message; fiber message) was alternated assigned to whole grain penne. Over the study period, the selection of four pasta options (white penne, whole grain penne, spinach fettuccine, and tortellini) were recorded and compiled for analysis. Logistic regression and pairwise comparison analyses were performed to estimate the impact of health messages on diners’ decisions to choose whole grain penne among the four pasta types. Our results indicate that only the message about vitamin benefits had a significant effect on this choice, with a 7.4% higher probability of selecting this pasta than the no-message condition and 6.0% higher than the fiber message condition. These findings suggest that psychological health claims (e.g., reduction of fatigue) of whole grains seem more attractive than physiological health claims (e.g., maintaining a healthy weight) for university students. In line with the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, our results suggest that small changes made at the POP have the potential to contribute to significant improvements in diet (e.g., achieving recommended levels of dietary fiber). These findings have important implications for food service practitioners in delivering information with the greatest impact on healthy food choices.