Pilotaction 10: Reduce food waste in schools in the Czech Republic
As part as the STREFOWA project Glopolis conducted a pilot action in 3 primary schools in the Czech Republic to address food waste in school canteens, define recommendations and test them to find best practices.
Why and how is food wasted in school canteens?
In 2017 Glopolis began a detailed research at selected primary schools to discover the origins and reasons for food waste in school canteens. The research was divided into three parts:
1. Questionnaires for teachers and pupils who eat in the school canteen.
2. An in-depth discussion with representatives of pupils, teachers and canteen staff. The whole process of eating, the preferences and the problems they face were explored. A professional presenter from the research center led a discussion to create the most pleasant atmosphere so that children can express their opinions without fear.
3. Weighing of the food leftovers in school canteen for at least 1 month.
The result of the research is a complete picture of the problem of food waste at selected schools and recommendations on how to work with the results. It is not just a statement of the situation but above all a proposal for possible solutions.
1. Questionnaires for teachers and pupils who eat in the school canteen.
2. An in-depth discussion with representatives of pupils, teachers and canteen staff. The whole process of eating, the preferences and the problems they face were explored. A professional presenter from the research center led a discussion to create the most pleasant atmosphere so that children can express their opinions without fear.
3. Weighing of the food leftovers in school canteen for at least 1 month.
The result of the research is a complete picture of the problem of food waste at selected schools and recommendations on how to work with the results. It is not just a statement of the situation but above all a proposal for possible solutions.
These recommandations were extracted from the research to reduce the food waste in schools
1. Communicate – Not only with children but especially with parents. If a child brings a big snack and eats it right before the lunch, we can not expect from them to be hungry and so the prepaid meal is wasted.
2. Watch the school buffet - It is important for the buffet to be complementary, it should not replace a function of lunch.
3. Customize portions – Smaller portions with the option to add are a good prevention.
4. Soup Voluntary – When ordering lunch, there could be an option for child or parents to not order the soup. This could reduce the canteen costs too.
5. Personal contact – A person who passes the lunch to children is fundamental. If they are afraid or are not comfortable in the canteen environment, the food waste factor is increased.
6. Hurry and Noise Factor – Stressful and noisy environment has a negative effect on the eating of children and adults. They do not enjoy the food and therefore they have a tendency to return the meal.
7. Create a story – Thematic days /weeks are proven to be a fun way of eating. Children and adults have the opportunity to explore other types of food and culture. They will be more involved in the eating experience and motivated if they know beforehand that there is an interesting change in the menu.
2. Watch the school buffet - It is important for the buffet to be complementary, it should not replace a function of lunch.
3. Customize portions – Smaller portions with the option to add are a good prevention.
4. Soup Voluntary – When ordering lunch, there could be an option for child or parents to not order the soup. This could reduce the canteen costs too.
5. Personal contact – A person who passes the lunch to children is fundamental. If they are afraid or are not comfortable in the canteen environment, the food waste factor is increased.
6. Hurry and Noise Factor – Stressful and noisy environment has a negative effect on the eating of children and adults. They do not enjoy the food and therefore they have a tendency to return the meal.
7. Create a story – Thematic days /weeks are proven to be a fun way of eating. Children and adults have the opportunity to explore other types of food and culture. They will be more involved in the eating experience and motivated if they know beforehand that there is an interesting change in the menu.
Special thanks to the participating schools
- Primary School Navis
- Primary School Jílové u Prahy
- Primary School Zbiroh
