An educational system and method for encouraging children to choose a nutritional meal, designed to educate children in making healthy nutritional choices and rewarding them for so doing. The educational system and method for encouraging children to choose a nutritional meal has predefined menus featuring specific healthy food and beverage categories. An automatic identification device is used to identify food and beverage choices on the menu and then compare them to the food and beverage choice selected. The automatic identification device indicates a correct or incorrect choice accordingly. Upon successful completion of all food and beverage categories the child is provided an incentive. The educational system and method for encouraging children to choose a nutritional meal provides consistent feedback and incentives to enable children to develop healthy eating habits.