Why So Much School Food Ends Up in the Trash, and How We Can Fix It!
- Ticiana Araújo
- Nov 20
- 4 min read
Every school day, thousands of cafeteria trays across the country end up in the trash still half-full. Apples are tossed after a single bite, milk cartons go unopened, and vegetables sit untouched. For districts already juggling tight budgets, staffing constraints, and limited kitchen space, the waste isn’t just a symbol of inefficiency; it’s a real cost in time, money, and nutrients that could have fueled students’ future endeavours.
Studies estimate that between 30 to 40 percent of all food produced for school meals is wasted, representing not only a waste of resources but also missed opportunities to nourish students and support sustainability goals.
For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture highlights that millions of dollars worth of food are thrown away annually, and much of that waste stems from how school meal programs are structured and implemented. (RTS, 2025) This isn’t about blaming students for being “picky eaters.” It’s about recognizing how the design of school meal systems — the timing of meals, the policies that govern what must be taken, and the ways food is served — often drives waste even when nutritious options are on the line. For a deeper dive on the importance of fiber and how to get more of it onto school menus, see our Blog Post: The Power of a Nutritious Fiber-Rich School Breakfast.
What’s Getting Wasted?
Milk consistently ranks among the most wasted items in American schools, with estimates ranging up to 30–40 percent discarded even when students are encouraged to take it. This waste reflects a mix of student taste preferences and structural issues within meal policies and staffing practices.
Next are fruits and vegetables, which are not only the second most wasted food group, but also the most important source of dietary fiber on school menus. School offerings provide fruits and vegetables, most notably whole fruits like apples and oranges, and large portions of salads, to help students meet fiber needs, yet these nutrient-rich options frequently end up in the trash.³
While a variety of factors might be at play for these items going to waste, some contributors are that students don’t have enough time to eat, find them hard to handle, or simply aren’t familiar with the flavors.
Entrées and grains can be wasted, too, especially when lunch periods run short. The national average is just 20 minutes seated time — which doesn’t take into account standing in line waiting for lunch or cleaning up at the end of the period. In reality, seated time at lunch can end up being as short as 10 minutes.
These patterns reflect a broader tension: to provide nutritious, diverse meals while keeping participation high enough to sustain funding. When participation dips, reimbursement does too, which can push food-service directors toward “guaranteed favorites” that may compromise variety and nutrition.
What’s Working And Where Schools Are Innovating?
Even with limited budgets and tight schedules, many schools are finding creative ways to cut waste and expand what kids eat. Share tables let students leave unopened items for peers, reducing waste and addressing food insecurity at the same time. Composting programs and partnerships with local food banks further turn leftovers into resources rather than garbage, with downstream benefits for communities and the environment.
The USDA’s “Offer vs. Serve” model also gives schools flexibility. Under this approach, students are offered all five meal components: grain, protein, fruit, vegetable, and milk, but only need to take a minimum three items, including at least one fruit or vegetable, for it to count as a reimbursable meal.
When implemented correctly, the Offer vs. Serve approach can reduce waste without compromising nutrition or participation.
Some districts push further, testing smaller or more appealing fruit portions and experimenting with better-timed lunch periods or enhanced vegetable seasonings. Reports from these tests show improvements in participation and reductions in waste, underscoring that even modest changes can have outsized effects.
Read More on the Balanced Blog: How Partnerships Are Changing School Lunches Across America.
The Bigger Picture
Reducing food waste is inseparable from nutrition, sustainability, and equity. When students waste less, they eat more of the meals designed to fuel learning, and savings can be redirected toward higher-quality ingredients and food-education initiatives.
Systemic change — supported by adequate funding, labor, and resources — will enable lunchrooms to reflect both sustainability and student choice.
Our view is that food waste in schools is a solvable problem when menus are thoughtfully redesigned, partnerships with local communities are strengthened, and student voices are elevated. By focusing on high-fiber foods, from whole fruits to hearty salads, schools can offer meals that truly support health and learning. In other words, every tray counts!
References
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Food Loss and Waste in Schools. usda.gov/foodlossandwaste/schools.
Cohen, J. F. W., Richardson, S., Austin, S. B., Economos, C. D., & Rimm, E. B. (2013). School lunch waste among middle school students: Nutrients consumed and costs. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 44(2), 114–121.
Byker Shanks, C., et al. School Lunch Waste Among Middle School Students: Prevalence and Predictors. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2017.
Resources for the Future (RTS). Food Waste in America: Statistics & Facts. rts.com/resources/guides/food-waste-america. 2025.
USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Child and Adult Care Food Program: Nutrition Standards. fns.usda.gov/cacfp/nutrition-standards.
School Nutrition Association. (2025, September 29). SN Plus: Sustainability in action – Food waste lessons from the cafeteria. https://schoolnutrition.org/sna-news/sn-plus-sustainability-in-action-food-waste-lessons-from-the-cafeteria/
Author(s) Unknown. (2023). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pages. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10271748/