Today’s global food system faces significant sustainability and public health related issues. To address this, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) was interested in a designer’s perspective to explore new ways of promoting adherence to the Schijf van Vijf (Wheel of Five), with a focus on MBO students in their school environment.

While most dietary interventions focus on promoting new and improved diets, this project applied the principle of exnovation: reducing or minimising foods that fall outside the Schijf van Vijf, along with a systemic approach.

Literature research revealed that young adults tend to mirror the eating behaviours of their social environment, making unhealthy habits socially contagious, particularly in group settings. Field research confirmed this peer influence, while also highlighting MBO students’ values of impulsivity, freedom, and autonomy.

Recognising the role of social dynamics, the following design statement was formulated: “To encourage better adherence to the Schijf van Vijf guidelines, I wish to inspire MBO students to minimise unhealthy snacking in and around the school environment by using social contagion.”

To address the complexity of shifting food behaviours within a larger system, an intervention portfolio that supports a month of action, Stoptober, was developed. This portfolio consists of four interventions:

A general campaign promoting the action month in schools, online and in public spaces
A campaign highlighting healthier alternatives in MBO school canteens
A Snapchat filter encouraging students to take the first step and share their commitment with friends
Lesson materials facilitating open group discussions

The Snapchat filter was evaluated as an effective tool for initiating healthier behaviour, while other interventions require further development and testing.

Beyond the intervention portfolio, the design process was valuable to VWS by reframing the problem, engaging the target group, integrating practical knowledge, and using an iterative approach. Reflection of the exnovation lens revealed it to be an inspiring and applicable perspective within existing design methods. It mainly required heightened awareness of perspective and reframing at important moments in the design process.