Tag 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 | Posted in College, 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 | Posted in Alphabet Produce, School | 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 | Posted in School, Stats | 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 | Posted in Friday Buffet, International, School | Comments closed

Teaching About Waste

There’s an increasing attention being paid to waste of all kinds. That’s why a waste curriculum aimed at the most-important-to-reach Americans (from a waste-generating standpoint) is key. Anyone looking to teach elementary school students about waste should say ‘Thanks, Ohio!’ And then turn to The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Windows on Waste curriculum. It […]

February 13, 2012 | Posted in School, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Teaching Waste

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, […]

March 2, 2011 | Posted in School | Comments closed

Cafeteria Composting

Rosie Noden decided that her children and their Kent, Ohio peers needed to become better connected to their food. To achieve that, she and other volunteers recently built a community and school garden at Walls Elementary. Where the story gets even happier, though, is that the school will begin separating and composting food waste from […]

June 14, 2010 | Posted in Composting, Garden, School | Comments closed