BioCanteens# 2
About this good practice
The main goal of the project implemented by the city of Wrocław is to introduce healthy and balanced meals in schools using organic and local products and to reduce food waste in 4 Wroclaw schools. The process begins at the stage of preparing the menu (e.g. by including dishes with increased and better use of legumes or by using the seasonality of vegetables and fruits). After that, it is important to adjust the food ration to the child's appetite and use the excess of one product to prepare another - to reduce food waste. It is also a practice related to the education of children and encouraging the youngest to eat new dishes. It is also important to remember what to do after the meal - the waste needs to be sorted and the food that a child has left on the plate should be weighed.
Resources needed
412 000 PLN
Evidence of success
The key is the connection and synergy between activities related to qualitative changes in nutrition and quantitative issues, i.e. rationalization of the size and structure of meal production in school canteens. In times of rising food prices and high pressure to increase lunch prices in educational institutions, it seems necessary to limit the scale of food waste and overproduction. These can be huge savings annually.
Potential for learning or transfer
According to the report of Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences summarising the "less waste" measurements carried out in school institutions among children and parents, the knowledge of preparing healthy and balanced zero waste meals is currently very low. This lack of knowledge consequently translates into excessive waste of food, increase in waste production, and finally wasteful and ineffective management of financial resources. One of the most effective tools in changing eating habits and promoting good attitudes among children and parents aimed at not wasting food is education.
Wrocław authorities, while recognising the problem, have for years taken a number of direct and indirect actions aimed at increasing the level of knowledge and health awareness of students and their parents in the prevention of overweight and obesity and shaping the responsibility for their own and others' health through educational and information activities promoting healthy lifestyle.