Teachers, We’ve
Got You Covered
School cafeterias serve as America’s largest “restaurant chain”—feeding 30 million children daily across nearly 100,000 locations and serving 7 billion meals annually, surpassing even McDonald’s in scale and reach.
Without cafeteria share tables, an entire generation is being systematically trained to treat perfectly good food as disposable trash—a lesson that follows them into adulthood, as evidenced by 18-24 year olds ranking among the highest food wasters in WRAP’s recent segmentation analysis.
Cafeteria share tables provide a powerful alternative by normalizing food redistribution, teaching children the practical value of sharing resources rather than discarding them.
The bottom line is undeniable: what happens in school cafeterias profoundly shapes not just our children’s relationship with food, but also impacts our communities, environment, and economy for decades to come.
View News Story High School Students Lead Initiative to Redistribute Surplus Food to Their Community
Imagine you have a superpower that can save the planet, feed hungry people, and protect the environment – all while having fun!
What if I told you that power is already in your hands? Every time you stop good food from being thrown away, you’re fighting a massive global challenge that most adults don’t even know how to tackle.
Wasted Food is like a sneaky villain that wastes resources, hurts the environment, and leaves people hungry – but YOU can be the hero who stops it!
Let’s celebrate your efforts to prevent and reduce the mountain of wasted food, Become a Young Food Hero during Food Waste Prevention WeekÂ
Complete activities in the CEC Food Matters Action Kit for virtual badges to share on social media!Â
Your troop can also earn physical badges in connection with completing these activities!
The event includes:
Monday April 7 – Grower-Chef Badge
Tuesday April 8 – Influencer Badge
Wednesday April 9 – Systems thinker Badge
Thursday April 10 – Food innovator badge
Friday April 11 – Rescuer Badge
Check out everything here!
Resources
Attend one of our webinars on reducing food waste in schools.
The best way to tackle food waste is to make sure students consume what they take. This involves good planning by school nutrition staff, getting students involved in decision-making, and having teachers educate students on the impacts of wasted food.
to view some school food waste strategies.
We have a comprehensive list of children’s books focused on food waste prevention for you to use in your classroom.
To view our list.
Many students (maybe you!) are passionate about making a tangible difference on issues like sustainability, public health or hunger. Whatever drives you, there’s a place for you in this movement.
To learn more.
Be sure to follow us on @FoodWastePreventionWeek on Facebook and Twitter and @savethefoodweek on X (formerly Twitter).Â
Meet author Vernon Gibbs II, who brings his children’s book When Good Fruit Goes Bad to life! This engaging story highlights healthy eating, reducing waste, and valuing ourselves despite imperfections. Join us during Food Waste Prevention Week for a fun, interactive session.
The event includes:
A live 10-minute storytime via Zoom
10 minutes for Q&A
A 15-minute drawing lesson to sketch a character from the book
You can watch a trailer for the book here.
Total: Nearly 40 minutes of engaging content!
The book is available for purchase on Amazon. For bulk orders (25+ copies), contact Vernon directly.
Questions? Email Vernon at cuzzospublishingandmedia@gmail.com with the subject: Food Waste Prevention Storytime.
Questions? Email Vernon at cuzzospublishingandmedia
@gmail.com with the subject: Food Waste Prevention Storytime.
Each year, Food Waste Prevention Week showcases the transformative power of art and how it can cultivate a community committed to reducing waste and embracing a more eco-conscious lifestyle. To learn more about our yearly art contest click the button below.
This year we are excited to introduce the first Feast of Words K-12 Poetry Contest! This contest is only open to Miami-Dade and Broward County Schools this year. Participants can choose between two themes; “What Does Food Mean to Me?” or “Love Letter to Food.”
Dive into our library of engaging videos that explain the importance of food waste prevention in a fun and accessible way. Perfect for classroom discussions and assignments.