Figure 1 presents cafeteria managers’ perceptions of the extent to which plate waste was a problem in their school. 3.) Amount of Plate Waste by Food Type

Cafeteria managers reported large variations in the amount of waste from eight different types of food that may be included as part of the school lunch. 5.) 6.) Reasons for and Ways to Reduce Plate Waste

When responding to a list of possible reasons for plate waste at their school, the cafeteria managers most frequently selected a nonfood reason—“student attention is more on recess, free time or socializing than eating.” When responding to a list of possible ways to reduce plate waste, the managers most often viewed actions that would involve students, such as letting students select only what they want, as more likely to reduce plate waste than other actions. The managers believed that, overall, the minimum federal serving sizes provided about the right amount of food for the students at their school. Cafeteria Managers’ Level of Satisfaction With Federal Commodities

Most cafeteria managers reported satisfaction with various aspects of the federal commodities received at their school for use in school lunches. However, about 10 percent reported that they would prefer not to receive about half or more of the different commodities they were sent.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on food waste from school lunches provided to school children under the National School Lunch Program.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) school cafeteria managers had varying perceptions about the degree to which food waste was a problem; (2) elementary school cafeteria managers were more likely to perceive food waste as a more serious problem; (3) the amount of food wasted varied by the type of food, with cooked vegetables being wasted more often; (4) many cafeteria managers believed that students' attention on recess or free time, rather than lunch, contributed to waste; (5) many cafeteria managers believed that allowing students to select what they wanted to eat would reduce waste; and (6) most cafeteria managers were satisfied with the federal commodities they received for use in the School Lunch Program, but about 10 percent reported that they would rather not receive at least half of the different types of commodities they received under the program.