Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Plate Waste Prevention in Child Nutrition Programs

Information on plate waste including strategies, best practices, and resources for sponsors participating in Child Nutrition Programs (CNP).

Overview

In the United States, food loss and waste is about 30 percent of the food supply at retail and consumer levels. Americans waste enough food every day to fill a 90,000 seat football stadium. Approximately one-third of all food is wasted at the retail and consumer levels. While the amount of food wasted in CNPs has not increased during recent years, there are many ways that everyone can help reduce, recover, and recycle food before it goes to waste and teach students about the impact it has on the environment and in their community.

Follow @CDENutrition on Twitter.

Strategies

There are three main challenges identified in efforts to reduce food waste in schools:

  • Accommodating student taste preferences and unfamiliarity with menu items
  • Helping students deal with early meal schedules and insufficient time to eat
  • Redistributing uneaten, intact items

Successful strategies for minimizing plate waste that help address these challenges are as follows:

Challenge 1: Accommodating student taste preferences and unfamiliarity with menu items

  • Obtain feedback on new menu items
  • Implement the offer versus serve option across all applicable CNPs
  • Provide more choices
  • Serve foods with familiar flavors
  • Serve ready-to-eat fruit
  • Invite school staff and teachers to eat meals with students
  • Use kid tested menus

Challenge 2: Helping students deal with early meal schedules and insufficient time to eat

  • Encourage principals to schedule recess before lunch
  • Encourage students to keep food items for snacks
  • Offer grab-and-go items
  • Serve Breakfast in the Classroom

Challenge 3: Redistributing uneaten, intact items

  • Offer share tables
  • Donate intact items to eligible local food banks or charitable organizations

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | SNPINFO@cde.ca.gov | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Monday, January 6, 2025
Related Content
  • Nutrition
    Resources and information related to child nutrition, nutrition education, food distribution programs, and the Child Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Council.
  • SNP Guidance, Manuals, and Resources
    The most recent guidance manuals, management bulletins, and other materials needed for proper administration of the School Nutrition Programs (SNP).
Recently Posted in Nutrition
  • Celebrating California School Meals Photo Contest (added 18-Aug-2025)
    The California Department of Education’s Farm to School program is holding a photo contest. CDE welcomes photos highlighting California’s diverse school meals programs; scratch cooked, locally sourced meals; and our school nutrition professionals.
  • REQUIRED: 2025–26 FFVP Orientation Trainings (added 15-Aug-2025)
    The CDE NSD requires all 2025–26 FFVP grantees to complete the mandatory FFVP Orientation Online Training Series before implementing the FFVP. The training series must be completed by no later than Monday, September 15, 2025, at 5 p.m. PST.
  • Action Required: Excess Net Cash Resources (added 12-Aug-2025)
    Provides information to program operators about excess net cash resources, the budget agreement process, and long-term noncompliance.
  • SNP Reimbursement Rates for 2025-26 (added 12-Aug-2025)
    This web page provides the School Nutrition Programs (SNP) reimbursement rates for the 2025-26 school year.
  • 2024 Turnip the Beet Award Winners (added 12-Aug-2025)
    The California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division would like to congratulate 21 California school districts for receiving a 2024 Turnip the Beet Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.