Waste in the cafeteria

[tining]

We have all seen it, kids get a tray of food eat a few items and the unopened things get thrown in the trash.

Do other schools do the same?

Here is a school that is doing the right thing: Elementary school 'share tables' keep unwanted lunch food out of trash

[SaltineQueen]

We have something similar, the "Free Fridge." Unopened milks, juice, bananas, cheese sticks, yogurt, etc. are put on a cart & then go in there at the end of lunch. Kids can get in there after they eat their lunch if they're still hungry. It's also my first stop when I get a kiddo c/o a stomachache that says they didn't eat breakfast.

It still sickens me to see all the other food, that isn't prepackaged, that gets tossed every day. I applaud our food service director for trying to bring different things into the cafeterias, but there are certain things that almost ALWAYS get tossed by the majority. Not sure what to do about that. I tried to change our schedule to recess before lunch, in hopes of reducing waste, but no one is going for it at this point.

[Farawyn]

We decided not to do this in our district, not only because the shared food becomes excellent fomites to spread infectious organisms but, because it's a food allergy nightmare. You have no idea who touched what food and left what residue on what food container to be touched by what child allergic to what. And no one was going to be available to wash the food containers with soap and water.

This.

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

All of our elementary students get free breakfast and lunch. So they are REQUIRED to get an entree and a side. Sometimes the kid doesn't like any of the sides served but they are made to get it so it is considered a "balanced meal". Meaning that food won't get eaten and will be tossed. Frustrating.

We have a little tray of ice that they put the juices/milks/yogurts that kids didn't want in. Whatever is left over is tossed (I mean really?!?). So I try to go in every morning and raid it for apple juices/yogurt for my own kiddos after school snack.

OldDude, you bring up a good point. The germs...ehh, their classrooms are a breeding ground anyway. But the allergens is a good point. We don't have anything on the lunch line that contains peanuts, however, we are not a nut-free school. So Susie who brought her pb sandwich might grab Sally's apple, then decide she doesn't want it. It goes to the snack table and Johnny, who has a horrible peanut allergy, picks it up and eats it. YIKES.