How to Reduce Food Waste in School Catering: 4 Practical Ways to Make a Difference

Food waste is a significant challenge for school catering teams. From oversized portions and unpopular menu choices to ingredients going unused, wasted food can have a considerable impact on school budgets and the environment.

For schools, reducing food waste is about more than simply throwing away less. It means making the most of ingredients, serving meals that pupils genuinely enjoy and ensuring children receive the nutrition they need.

In this guide, we explore four practical ways to reduce food waste in school catering.

Get School Meal Portion Sizes Right

One of the biggest opportunities for reducing food waste in school catering is getting portion sizes right.

When pupils are served more food than they can comfortably eat, the result is often unnecessary plate waste. This is particularly common among younger children, whose appetites and nutritional requirements differ significantly from those of older pupils.

However, reducing portion sizes indiscriminately is not the answer. School meals must continue to provide the nutrition children need to support their growth, development and concentration throughout the school day.

The key is to serve appropriate, age-related portions while allowing pupils to respond to their own appetite.

Understanding age-related portion guidance

In England, the Department for Education provides portion size guidance for primary and secondary school food. The guidance gives typical serving amounts for a range of food groups and ingredients, helping catering teams plan balanced meals that are appropriate for the age of the pupils they serve.

Primary school guidance covers children aged 4 to 10, while secondary school guidance covers pupils aged 11 to 18. The recommended portion amounts generally increase for older pupils, reflecting their different nutritional requirements.

For example, the guidance gives the following typical quantities for certain starchy foods:

Food	Primary school guidance (ages 4–10)	Secondary school guidance (ages 11–18)
Dried pasta	45–65g	65–80g
Dried rice	35–55g	55–65g
Bread	50–70g	80–100g

You can find the official guidance here:

Department for Education: Primary school portion sizes
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-practical-guide-and-resources-for-schools/school-food-standards-portion-sizes-and-food-groups-for-primary-schools
Department for Education: Secondary school portion sizes
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-practical-guide-and-resources-for-schools/school-food-standards-portion-sizes-and-food-groups-for-secondary-schools

Use Pupil Feedback to Create More Appealing School Menus

Another important way to reduce food waste in school catering is to understand what pupils actually enjoy eating.

Even a nutritious, carefully planned meal can generate significant waste if children are reluctant to eat it. Unpopular dishes, unfamiliar ingredients or poor presentation can all contribute to food being left on plates.

By involving pupils in menu planning, schools can create meals that are both nutritious and appealing.

Find out which meals pupils enjoy

Catering teams can use simple methods to gather feedback, including:

Short pupil surveys about their favourite school meals.
Informal feedback from lunchtime supervisors.
Menu tasting sessions before introducing new dishes.
School food councils that allow pupils to share ideas.
Monitoring which meals are consistently popular or unpopular.

For example, if a vegetable-based dish is regularly left uneaten, it may be worth reviewing its presentation, seasoning or recipe rather than removing vegetables from the menu altogether.

Similarly, if pupils enjoy a particular sauce or accompaniment, incorporating it into other suitable dishes may encourage greater uptake.

Use Frozen Food to Help Reduce School Catering Waste

Frozen food can be a valuable resource for school catering teams looking to reduce food waste.

With fluctuating pupil numbers, changing meal uptake and busy kitchen schedules, managing fresh ingredients can sometimes be challenging. Frozen products offer greater flexibility, helping schools use ingredients when they are needed rather than feeling pressured to use them before they deteriorate.

When selected carefully, frozen food can support efficient menu planning while providing a wide range of nutritious ingredients.

Reduce unnecessary food spoilage

Frozen products generally have a longer storage life when kept correctly frozen, helping schools reduce the risk of ingredients going unused.

For example, a school may need to prepare meals for different numbers of pupils throughout the week. Frozen vegetables or fruit can be used in the quantities required, with the remaining product kept frozen in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

This can be particularly useful for ingredients that are used less frequently or where demand is difficult to predict.

ient products to schools across the North West, helping catering teams source ingredients for a variety of menus.

Educate Pupils About Food Waste

Reducing food waste in schools is not just the responsibility of the catering team. Pupils can play an important role too.

Helping children understand where food comes from, how it is prepared and why waste matters can encourage more sustainable habits that continue beyond the school dining hall.

Food waste education can also complement wider school activities around sustainability, the environment and healthy eating.

Introduce a school food waste awareness campaign

Schools could create a simple campaign to highlight how much food is wasted during lunchtime.

For example, catering teams could measure plate waste over a week and display the results in the dining hall or school newsletter.

Showing pupils the amount of food being discarded can help make the issue more tangible.

Campaigns could include messages such as:

Choose a portion you think you can finish.
Ask for more if you are still hungry.
Try something new before deciding you don’t like it.
Help your school reduce unnecessary food waste.

How we can help

At Trevors Foodservice, we are proud to support schools across the North West with a wide range of foodservice products, helping catering teams meet the demands of busy school kitchens.

Whether you are reviewing your school menu, looking for more flexible ingredients or searching for a reliable school food supplier, our team is here to help.