Food Waste in Berkeley Schools

According to the newest food waste study released by the USDA in February 2014, 31% of the food supplied at retail and consumer levels in the US went uneaten in 2010. In addition, 40% of vegetables, 30% of salads, and 20% of fruits are wasted from lunch plates in K-12 schools.

Therefore, we decided to dig through the trash. Lots of trash. In fact, we went to Rosa Parks Elementary, Oxford Elementary, MLK Jr. Middle School, Berkeley High, UC Berkeley campus/dining hall/greek life areas on a Food Junkies mission. We wanted to find out:

What types of foods are commonly wasted in schools?

Is there a difference in the type of food wasted in:

Varying socioeconomic neighborhood tiers?

Small vs. magnet vs. public schools?

Elementary vs. Middle vs. High vs. College students?

Male vs. Female consumers?

     3.  What do our findings suggest about the current structure of the food system in our Berkeley schools?

Walking into the cafeteria of Rosa Parks Elementary School the set up of food being passed out seemed similar to other schools that we had previously visited.  There was the self-serve salad bar, a basket full of apples, and the cart where the lunch staff ladled out food.  The amount of food that was given to each student was portioned by the section sizes of the compostable plates.  The amount of food also changed based on which grade the students were in, showing a positive correlation.       

Even though the food system shared similar features with other schools, Rosa Parks did include a unique aspect.  Rosa Park’s students were passionately sorting to make sure the waste went into the correct bins of compostable, recyclable, and landfill.  The majority of schools have the separation of waste clearly marked out for students but Rosa Parks students really knew what type of waste went were and seemed to really enjoy organizing the waste into the different categories.  Later on, one of the faculty members explained that there was a reward system in place for the students sorting the waste, but most of them did it without needing inducement.

Lunchtime at Rosa Parks Elementary School

Key things to note:

A majority of students bring lunch from home

The salad bar at lunch is not free

Each student is required to take at least one piece of fruit - the fruit of choice: apples.

Liquid waste... Not enough milk, water, and juice can lead to dehydration! D:

Prior to visiting Oxford Elementary, we had been in contact with the school's Green Team founder. She was super excited to help us out, and she pointed us in the direction of one of her students. This third grader was a PRO sorter when it came to compost, recycling, and landfill. He led us through a tour of the school campus, giving us valuable insights into the culture of the campus.

Some key insights:

The students recently saw food waste awareness presentations

The students can eat up to three times in the lunchroom: early morning snack, lunch, and after school snack.

Some students feel like they don't have enough time for lunch. Basically, they feel rushed and can't finish their food.

The food they receive at lunch is on the same system as Berkeley High's lunch.

The salad bar is unlimited.

Food Waste Audit at Oxford Elementary School

Key Things to Note: