10.15.2014 CFPA has published a fact sheet highlighting policies and practices aimed at minimizing school food waste and optimizing student consumption of school meals. The fact sheet highlights federal, state, and local policies regarding the sharing of school meal components and allowing students to eat some food items outside of the lunchroom. California school district case studies feature best practices, such as sharing tables, community food donations, and “backpack safe” labeling of non-perishable food.
Feeding Students, Not Trash Cans: Policies and Practices to Curb Food Waste in School Cafeterias PDF
Discarded food is a lost opportunity for improving student nutrition and a waste of precious resources. With time-limited lunch periods and increased effort and funding going towards school meals, proactive policies and practices are needed to encourage students to safely save some food items to eat at a later time, or to utilize excess food for better purposes than feeding trash cans. CFPA will focus future advocacy efforts on removing policy barriers that hinder schools’ability to feed hungry bellies and reduce food waste.
Questions? Contact Tracey Patterson at 510-433-1122 ext 101.
