Category Archives: School

Food Matters!

For years, I’ve been saying that we need to teach kids that food isn’t trash. That food isn’t just like any other commodity in our throw-away culture. That food is special. That food…matters! I’m thrilled to say that there’s now a great resource to teach that message. This past year, I’ve helped create an amazing […]

May 2, 2019 | Also posted in College | Comments closed

Minneaturizing School Food Waste

Minneapolis Public Schools are a national leader in food service. MPS has renovated nearly half of school kitchens and pledged to bring on-site cooking to all schools by 2025. It serves food without high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial colors, or preservatives. Yet, MPS hasn’t focused much on tackling wasted food. Until now. MPS Director […]

March 1, 2019 | Posted in School | Comments closed

Unique Lessons

I saw this beauty this weekend at the farmers’ market and fell in love. You say ugly, I say gorgeous.  Is it a V? Maybe a U? Perhaps an N or a C? Yes. The best part of this saga is that my son needed to bring in two sweet potatoes for a class soup […]

March 10, 2015 | Also posted in Alphabet Produce | Comments closed

Schooling Waste

Seeing the USDA involved in fighting food waste is encouraging. Especially when it’s in the realm of school lunch. That’s why I found this blog post on solutions to school food waste and the corresponding infographic (see below) such a pleasant surprise. The post counters the popular misconception that schools are required to trash all student […]

August 28, 2014 | Also posted in Food Recovery | Comments closed

Who Says Schools Have to Waste Food?!

I was talking about food waste on Minnesota Public Radio today and many of the callers were school or day care workers lamenting their facility’s level of food waste. Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking a lot about that topic lately. Then Indiana’s Food Rescue org sent me this inspiring video of a school objecting to throwing away […]

August 20, 2014 | Also posted in Food Recovery | Comments closed

School Lunches Healthier, Just as Wasteful

Last week, a Harvard School of Public Health study exploring the impact of recent changes to school lunch came out with mixed news: students are eating more fruits and vegetables, but waste remains a problem. After the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, new federal standards went into effect for the start of the 2012-2013 […]

March 12, 2014 | Also posted in Institutional, Legislation, Stats | Comments closed

Quantifying School Lunch Loss

There’s a reason adults tell kids to eat their vegetables–because they don’t! The 2010 changes to the National School Lunch Program (prompted by Michelle Obama’s push) that added more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to kids meals. But that comes at a cost–more wasted food and taxpayer dollars when school food is discarded. Virginia Tech junior Lindsey […]

July 24, 2013 | Also posted in Stats | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

File under ‘rising tide of food waste coverage:’ National Geographic ran this neat piece on how cities manage to compost their abundant food waste. — — Three Hawaiian universities have signed on to fight food waste. Hawaiian food waste takes on a heightened importance, as that food has probably been imported and it’ll likely be exported, […]

June 21, 2013 | Also posted in Composting, Friday Buffet, History and Culture | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

I’d be more excited about freezers that can detect expiration dates if those dates meant anything! With perishables, date labels speak to quality not safety. And they are basically meaningless for frozen food. — — Want some fraud with that food waste? Then talk to these two Edmonds, Wash., food service workers. — — World […]

June 14, 2013 | Also posted in Friday Buffet, International | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Tesco released a major report yesterday called What Matters Now: Using Our Scale For Good. One of the three ambitions was to lead in reducing food waste globally. The massive, UK-based retailer plans to use its industry standing to prompt suppliers and manufacturers to reduce food waste, while helping consumers do the same. For more […]

May 24, 2013 | Also posted in Composting, Restaurant, Supermarket | Comments closed