Food waste reduction

Learn effective strategies for reducing food waste.

According to a World Wildlife Foundation study, the average school throws away or composts 39 pounds of food waste per student every year! This is food that should have provided students with nutrition. This waste means that all the energy, water, and natural resources used to produce, transport, and prepare the food are also wasted. Production and transportation of food are significant contributors of greenhouse gases. Food breaking down in landfills is also a major greenhouse gas contributor. By reducing food waste, schools can conserve natural resources, save landfill space, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. This benchmark focuses on food rescue and food sharing practices rather than composting. If your school has a compost bin or collects food waste from the cafeteria, head to the Organics Collection benchmark page.

School criteria for recognition

Fill out the School Food Waste Reduction recognition form when you have completed the following criteria:

Participate in at least one food waste reduction and/or food rescue activity. Examples include share tables, food donation, and "eat what you take" campaigns.
Create or maintain a system to track how much food is being rescued or reduced. Share this system with your program representative.
Conduct a Waste Walk Through (WWT) every 2 years.
Share food waste reduction or food rescue goals with your school. Examples could include assemblies, newsletters, announcements, or social media posts.
Share your food waste reduction efforts and progress with your program representative.

Recognition form

Fill out the Food Waste Reduction Benchmark form. Schools may fill out the recognition form at any time of school year. Contact your program representative if you need assistance filling out the form.

You can complete the recognition form over multiple sessions using the "Save" button. You will be emailed a link that allows you to continue filling out the form. Once the form is complete, select the "Submit" button.

Check out all the schools that were recognized for Food Waste Reduction in 2025-26.

District criteria for recognition

District staff will be invited to apply for recognition once at least 50% of their school are participating in the Green Schools Program. Find the district recognition criteria in the District Benchmark Guide.

Once criteria are met, district staff can fill out the School Waste Reduction recognition form.

Food waste reduction resources and activities

Interested in learning more? Check out our resource list for more detailed information on this benchmark topic.

Success stories

Albert Einstein Elementary School in Lake Washington School District decided to focus on reducing food waste in the cafeteria. They set up a monthly food waste challenge to encourage students to take only the food they were going to eat. Every day, green team members weighed the food waste at the end of each lunch period. The grade band that created the least amount of food waste each month was recognized with a trophy called the Golden Spoon. The school kept track of the progress on large posters in the lunchroom. Throughout this challenge, the green team estimates that the school was able to reduce food waste by 20%.

The green team at Carnation Elementary in Riverview School District encouraged other students at their school to think about the food they took from the cafeteria line before grabbing it. They also started a food donation table in their cafeteria. Students place any unopened food that they do not want to eat on the donation table during lunch. The food then gets donated to local food banks or mini-food pantries. The green team and teachers noticed that students thought more carefully about food they took and were having more conversations about making sure they packed food for lunch that they would actually eat.

Students at Albert Einstein Elementary School measured their food waste every week. By the end of April, they were able to reduce their food waste by 20%.