Forty percent of all food is wasted in the United States. When we throw away or compost food that could have been eaten, all the resources that went into making the food are also wasted. School cafeterias can save food and be part of the solution. Use the 
Wasted Food Prevention Best Practices to help your school reduce wasted food and educate your students.
Conduct a tray audit
The first step in preventing wasted food in your school is understanding how much food is wasted and why.
A tray audit is one way to measure the amount of wasted food generated in a cafeteria. Plan to lead an initial audit from the cafeteria or classrooms. Then, implement several wasted food prevention strategies over the course of a few months or more. Organize another tray audit after making improvements to track progress and set future goals.
School Tray Audit Guide
Tray Audit Weight Log
Tray Audit Interview Sheet
Share Table Log
How to do a Tray Audit video
Provide a food share table
Food share tables are designated areas for students to place unwanted, unopened food and beverages. Other students can take items, or they can be donated. These are approved by the USDA and Minnesota Department of Health.
Food safety requirements apply and certain foods are not allowed. Follow the Minnesota Department of Education's food share table best practices.
Understand meal requirements
Reimbursable meals have guidelines that encourage wasting less food by allowing students to choose the foods they want to eat within certain requirements. Learn more and educate students on meal requirements to reduce wasted food:
Get inspired
Dakota County can provide expertise and resources to meet a school's unique needs.
Additional educational resources:
Donate edible food
Donate edible, unwanted food to food rescue organizations to help feed those in need. Food donors are protected by the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Act. Organizations that donate food in good faith to a nonprofit are not subject to liability on the condition of the food. Learn more about Minnesota food waste policies.
Schools can donate:
- Prepared menu items and buffet foods
- Produce, dairy and deli items as long as they were kept at safe temperatures
- Unused food from catered events
- Day-old and other baked goods
- Unlabeled or mislabeled foods
- Excess produce from community gardens
- Items from food share table
The federal tax code allows a deduction for donated food. Contact your tax professional to determine how it affects your school. Qualified commercial taxpayers can deduct the cost to produce the food and half the difference between the cost and full fair market value of the donated food.
Schedule regular pick-ups for donated food:
Additional food donation organizations