Banana Blossom Fries: Acceptability as a Nutritious Snack Among Students of Apad National High School

Unhealthy eating habits were increasing among Apad National High School students, which led the researchers to propose Banana Blossom Fries as a healthy, affordable, and sustainable snack alternative. This study assessed its acceptability in terms of affordability, appearance, nutritional value, packaging, taste, and texture using a quantitative descriptive research design with 135 stratified, randomly selected students aged 12 to 15. A validated researcher-made questionnaire and a four-point Likert scale were used for data collection. In contrast, frequency and percentage distribution, weighted mean, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used as statistical tools. The results revealed high acceptability across all indicators: affordability (3.34), appearance (3.26), nutritional value (3.27), packaging (3.23), taste (3.34), and texture (3.32), indicating that the product was nutritious, appealing, and satisfying. The findings also showed significant differences across grade levels, age differences that affected affordability, and no significant difference based on sex. Overall, Banana Blossom Fries were found to be a viable and health-oriented snack innovation and were recommended for further enhancement and school implementation.