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Sustainable school catering - Reduction of school food waste and modelling the reuse of unserved food

Project ID: PD142198
Granting authority:  National Research, Development and Innovation Office
Duration: October 2022 – September 2025

Summary of the project

The increasing global population and the rise in living standards are putting growing pressure on food systems. In order to ensure a sufficient and safe food supply in the long term, it is not enough to simply increase production: reducing food waste is also essential.
Domestic and international data, as well as our own research, show that a significant amount of waste is generated in child nutrition: up to 30–40% of prepared meals can turn into waste. This is a crucial issue, as over 1 million children in Hungary participate in school meals daily.
In Hungary — as in many countries in Europe — laws regulate what foods should be on children's plates. However, ultimately it is the child who decides whether to consume the food. The large amount of plate waste and unused food indicate that improvements need to be made to the system's efficiency.
Our project aims to scientifically underpin a more sustainable school meal system. Through quantitative analysis of primary data, we identify the factors that influence the effectiveness of school meals and the amount of food waste generated. Our research focuses on the collaboration of meal service providers, plate waste, opportunities for recycling unserved food, consumer satisfaction, and awareness-building.

Ask about the project results

A chatbot is available on this page to help you quickly and easily learn more about the project’s key findings, results, and topics.
Try the chatbot and ask questions about:
-the amount of food waste generated in school catering,
-the causes of plate waste,
-opportunities for reuse,
-or the factors that can improve the sustainability of school meal services.

    Keywords

    waste management, food waste, food reuse, public catering

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