{"id":4214,"date":"2023-08-08T11:47:55","date_gmt":"2023-08-08T15:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/foodrescuemaine\/?p=4214"},"modified":"2023-09-20T11:09:10","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T15:09:10","slug":"pilot-5-maine-school-cafeteria-food-waste-study-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/foodrescuemaine\/2023\/08\/08\/pilot-5-maine-school-cafeteria-food-waste-study-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilot 4: Maine School Cafeteria Food Waste Study – 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Goals\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. To reduce school food waste, volume, and cost.<\/li>\n
  2. To improve nutrition intake.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Methodology\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
      \n
    1. Worked with the Maine Department of Education nutrition director and faculty team to identify the most effective food waste and nutrition interventions.<\/li>\n
    2. Researched best practices for elementary school food waste reduction.<\/li>\n
    3. Recruited and selected four (4) participating Maine elementary schools for the Study.<\/li>\n
    4. Implemented School Cafeteria Food Waste Interventions:\n
        \n
      1. Prep For Study\u00a0<\/strong>\n
          \n
        1. Prep school faculty\/staff and cafeteria staff about School Food Waste Study.<\/li>\n
        2. Prep kitchen for “offer versus serve” program.<\/li>\n
        3. Replace disposable eating utensils with reusables.<\/li>\n
        4. Sign-up food waste recycling hauler for weekly pick-up.<\/li>\n
        5. Set up new cafeteria waste sorting stations with instructional signage (Find in Resources).<\/li>\n
        6. Set up new cafeteria “Share Baskets.”<\/li>\n
        7. Recruit food waste training, tracking and measuring student aides (4th and 5th-grade students).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        8. Take Baseline Assessments\u00a0<\/strong>\n
            \n
          1. Take daily\u00a0Week 1\u00a0<\/strong>food and liquid waste measurements to set a baseline.<\/li>\n
          2. Conduct\u00a0Week 1 Food Waste Nutrition Audit.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
          3. Measure family baseline with\u00a0Pre-Study Family Food Waste Survey.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
          4. Track Food Waste Reduction<\/strong>\n
              \n
            1. Hold Week 2 Food Waste Education School Assemblies (15 minutes).<\/li>\n
            2. Post four (4) Food Waste Education Cafeteria Posters (See image 1).<\/li>\n
            3. Track daily\u00a0Weeks 2-8\u00a0<\/strong>food and liquid waste measurements.<\/li>\n
            4. Create individual school Weekly Food Waste Progress Charts (see image 2).<\/li>\n
            5. Conduct Week 8 Food Waste Nutrition Audit.<\/li>\n
            6. Measure family impact with Post-Study Family Food Waste Survey.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Results\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

              Quantitative Data\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              All schools involved in the study experienced a reduction in their food waste over the study period. At the four schools, fruit and veggie waste was reduced by more than one-quarter. The reductions ranged from 24% to 64%.<\/p>\n

              Qualitative Data\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              Family Survey Results\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n