For anyone who’s visited a school cafeteria as an adult, the opening to this Chicago Tribune piece will likely ring true:
On visits to lunchrooms in Chicago public schools, the Tribune watched as vast quantities of unpeeled fruit, vegetables, milk cartons and other items got pitched into the garbage.
The piece cited some staggering numbers, detailing that one school tossed 334 pounds of uneaten whole food in one day. Sad. Yet, without knowing how many students attended the school, that amount is less useful.
Of course, this is far from a Chicago-specific problem. I remember the many, many cartons of unopened milk tossed into a waste bin when I visited a Mississippi school in the decidedly unaffluent Delta.
I’m so glad the Trib is examining the topic of school food waste. And highlighting possible solutions, like redistributing whole, unopened foods, especially fruit. Apparently, Seven Generations Ahead is increasingly making that a reality.
Plus, the idea of sharing tables sounds ideal, allowing students to leave foods they’re not going to eat for other students. And allowing some choice in school lunch will only help. Same goes for having lunch after recess.
Comments
5 responses to “Teaching Waste”
I have read other stories detailing this problem. It seems very ironic due to the continued media portrayal of economically disadvantaged students who qualify for free or reduced school breakfasts/lunches. If there is such need (amounting to well over 50% in many districts), why are these students disregarding the food placed before them?
When I have lunch with my kids at school (elementary age) it is amazing the amount of food that is wasted. I always try to ask their classmates about the foods they are eating (or not!) and the most common reasons it’s not getting eaten is 1) they were made to take SOMETHING even though they may not really like it or 2) lunchtime is social time so they’re busy talking with other kids and not eating. Luckily our school gives them 30 minutes to eat (other schools, I have read, have far less time).. What gets me is when the unopened cartons of milk go into the trash. I cringe every time!
“allowing students to leave foods they’re not going to eat, for other students” I can only imagine what some of these students would do to the food they would be leaving—leave a little spit on it, lick all over the food, drop it on the floor— no telling what else they would think up. Come on, these are kids we’re talking about here!
I contacted our local food bank to see if they are willing to have a lunch time donation box at our school and pick up food everyday. They are willing to do it. I’m still waiting to see if we can figure out a way to best store the food, hopefully in the cafeteria fridge. But I have a feeling that’s where things get complicated. The LAUSD Food Services have a policy to trash all left over and extra food. How wasteful and strange? Why not restock or give it away to those in need? The budget for 2009-2010 LAUSD food service was $312 million. From my observation at least 10% of the food is thrown away without even being opened up. Even if we save 5% of the budget by cutting down the food waste, that’s $15.6 million, How many teachers position can that save?
School lunch is a gold dig for Food Banks, because they are safe and well packaged. I hope Food Banks around the country try to contact their local schools to form a deal. It’s great education for kids to reduce waste and understand not everyone has the privilege to eat whenever they are hungry.
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