(Adapted from Nutrition Comes Alive, Level 6, Division of Nutritional Sciencs, Cornell University)
Cornell Waste Management Institute

GRADE LEVELS: 4-6

SUBJECT AREAS: social studies, math

CONCEPT: What foods do students throw away? How much? For what reasons? What are some of the ways to decrease food waste?

OBJECTIVE: Students will see how much food is thrown away at their school each day.

MATERIALS:

• plastic disposable gloves for handling food
• data sheets: School Food Waste Data and Foods Thrown Away
  
• optional:
  - 2 trash containers, one for food and the other for other materials;
  - several 1/2-gallon or gallon milk containers to collect leftover milk;
  - tape recorder, camera, and video tape recorder.

KEYWORDS: waste

PROCEDURE: To find the total amount of milk and food thrown away:

- Ask people to give you their leftover milk when they clear their trays.

Pour the milk into half-gallon or gallon containers. On the data sheet, record the number of containers filled and the sizes of the containers.

- If you can use a large scale, ask people to separate all the leftover food from other trash and to place it in a separate trash container after lunch. Subtract the weight of the empty container from the weight of the full container to determine how many pounds of food were thrown away. Record the information.

To determine what foods are thrown away, look at the day's menu and fill out a data sheet with names of foods on the menu. Use extra spaces to record the contents of bag lunches. Then stand by the trash containers and observe which foods are thrown away. Estimate the amounts of foods thrown away and record the information using check marks.

To learn why people don't eat their food, interview students and tape-record or write down their comments.

To learn about another side of the problem, interview cafeteria workers. Ask whether any foods are throw away in the kitchen and what happens to leftovers. Find out what government guidelines and requirements the cafeteria must follow when planning and preparing meals.

Also talk to the custodial staff. They can tell you whether the results on the day of your survey were typical.

Results

You should now be able to answer your questions about food waste. Use the information gathered to make some suggestions about how to decrease food waste at school. You may present the results of your study in some of the following ways:

Back to Trash Goes To School

Name:_________________________________ Date:__________________

Total Pounds of Food Thrown Away:

Weight of food trash container after lunch ______ pounds

Weight of food trash container before lunch -______ pounds

Total weight of food thrown away =______ pounds

Total Amount of Milk Thrown Away:

Number of 1/2-gallon cartons filled with milk =______ 1/2-gal.

OR

Number of gallon cartons filled with milk =______ gallons

Questions:

1. How many pounds of food were thrown away at lunch? ______

2. How many kilograms of food were thrown away at lunch? ______
(1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds)

3. How many half-gallons of milk were thrown away at lunch? ______

4. How many gallons of milk were thrown away at lunch? ______

5. How many half-pints of milk were thrown away at lunch? ______
(1 half-gallon = 2 quarts = 4 pints = 8 half-pints)

6. Figuring on 180 days of school per year, and using your findings as a typical day, how many pounds of food are thrown away at your school in one year? ______

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Name:_________________________________ Date:__________________

School Lunch Food

Whole Serving

More than 1/2-serving

1/2 serving or less

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Bag Lunch Food
_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Back to Solid Waste Activities Grades 4-6

Cornell Waste Management Institute ©1991
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Bradfield Hall, Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-1187 
cwmi@cornell.edu