Abstract
This study aimed to assess change in school-based food waste after training and implementing the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement (SLM) strategies with school food service workers. This non-controlled trial was implemented in a random sample of 15 elementary and middle schools in a Community Eligibility Program school district in the Northeast, the United States. Baseline and post-intervention food waste measurements were collected at two different time points in each school (n = 9258 total trays measured). Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and regression analyses were used to assess SLM strategies’ impact on changes in percent food waste. The mean number of strategies schools implemented consistently was 7.40 ± 6.97 SD, with a range of 0 to 28 consistent strategies. Independent t-tests revealed that at post-test, there was a significant (p < 0.001) percent reduction (7.0%) in total student food waste and for each food component: fruit (13.6%), vegetable (7.1%), and milk (4.3%). Overall, a training session on food waste and the SLM strategies with school-based food service workers reduced school food waste. However, the extent of the training and SLM strategies to reduce food waste varied on the basis of the consistency and type of strategies implemented.
Highlights
Food waste is a significant issue in the United States
“white milk is offered in all beverage coolers” For the lunchroom atmosphere category of strategies, the top strategies implemented were, “cafeteria staff smile and greeted students upon entering the service line and throughout meal service,” “all lights in the dining and meal service areas work and are turned on,” “trash cans are at least 5 feet away from dining students”, and “trash cans are emptied when full.”
For every Smarter Lunchrooms Movement (SLM) strategy implemented, total student food waste decreased by 0.4%
Summary
Food waste is a significant issue in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that over one-third of food produced is being wasted annually, which equates to 133 billion pounds and USD 161 billion [1,2]. In 2012, food waste contained an estimated 1217 calories and 33 g of protein per capita per day and many vital nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin D, and calcium [3]. In addition to the economic and nutritional cost of food waste, it has a severe environmental cost [4]. The negative impacts of food waste are environmental, nutritional, and economic, leading to the federal government’s focus on this issue [1,5]
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