Food Waste Prevention Week 2024
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services held its first Food Recovery Challenge, where schools across the state shared their commitment to reducing waste in their cafeteria. In the 2023-2024 school year, 3,777 schools participating in the National School Lunch Program are implementing food waste reduction practices in Florida. There are more than 625 Share Tables and 72 food waste audits were reported. This year, 45 compost systems were started/maintained in schools and to encourage the usage of food scraps we are giving away three compost systems to schools across the state.
This year for Food Waste Prevention Week, we are pledging as a state to reduce food waste in our schools. Join us this week, April 1-7, and take the first step of reducing food waste.
How can you make a difference?
The following activities are used across the state in hopes to divert, recover and reduce food waste in our schools. For more information, please contact Bela Delgado at [email protected].
Share Tables are an easy and efficient way to reduce food waste in K-12 school food service programs and encourage student food preservation.
Share Tables are designed areas within schools where students can place or return whole or unopened food and drinks that they don’t want. Typically, children who may want additional food are welcome to enjoy the donated items during or after the meal service at no cost. It’s important to remember that Share Tables come in all shapes and sizes, and there’s many ways to start.
Why compost? Composting if the process of turning organic materials into a rich soil amendment to use on plants.
Food is the largest type of waste sent to landfills and can be harmful to our natural resources. By using your food waste to create a nutrient-dense soil, you can help the environment.
The Florida Department of Agriculture, in partnership with gleaning organizations, handles the logistics of scheduling gleaning field trips for schools across Florida.
Student volunteers can visit farms and glean produce from the field or pick up harvested produce that is no longer viable for marketing. The produce is then distributed for taste tests and donations.
Through gleaning field trips, students will develop a greater respect for and understanding of food.