Food Production & Waste

What are we already doing?

Range of Food: Pasta pots, sandwiches and jacket potatoes are available for the children to pre order - these are made to order ensuring no extra food waste is created. Because there is such a wide range of food available each day, we hope to tackle food waste due to children disliking foods. Our on-site cook also amends the menu if there is a particular dish the children don't like.

Vegan/Veggie Options: Each day, a vegan or vegetarian option is available for the children at lunchtime as well as the meat option. Vegan and vegetarian options are considered more environmentally friendly as they require less land, water and resources to produce. Vegan and vegetarian diets also generate fewer greenhouses gas emissions compared to a meat-based diet. 

What else can we do?

Food waste collection: Currently any food waste that is produced in school goes into the general waste bin. We will investigate how we can have a separate food waste bin for collection by an eco-friendly accredited supplier (such as Biffa or Veolia). 

Conduct a waste audit: Green ambassadors will engage with pupils at lunchtime to measure food wastage and record the reasons why it is being wasted. We will be conducting this survey in the Summer 25 term. Ensure children are educated on the importance of eating a healthy lunch.

Combat fruit/veg waste: As part of the School Fruit and Veg Scheme, all children 4-6 years old are entitled to a piece of fruit per day. Sometimes this fruit and veg isn't always eaten so we will either install a compost bin or we will offer the fruit and veg to parents/carers for use for pets outside of school. 

Veggie Week: We can trial a 'Veggie Week' in school where students try more plant-based (or plant-rich) foods instead of the meat-based ones that are currently on offer.

What can you do at home?

• Create a weekly meal plan to make sure you are only buying what you need and will use
• Before shopping, check your fridge, pantry and freezer for what you already have, make a list of what you need
• Opt for seasonal produce as this is often fresher and will last longer
• Store food items properly according to the packaging
• Understand that 'best by' relates to food quality and 'use by' relates to food safety - food past it's 'best by' date can still be eaten as long as it is before the 'use by' date
• Use a 'first in, first out' system in your fridge and pantry meaning when you go shopping rotate old produce to the front to be used first
• Have your own compost bin for use in your garden, find out what can and can't go in a compost bin here... https://evengreener.com/blogs/evengreener-blog/what-can-you-put-in-a-compost-bin?srsltid=AfmBOoqC1PaVTkJWLoh2QIq3FMzYGN-Pu79NLBWete1w-H9N5QQ1qr9R