MATTAPOISETT, Mass. — Whether it’s an untouched orange or an unopened yogurt, once food leaves a school’s kitchen, food safety regulations prohibit it from returning. That means some perfectly edible food ends up in the dumpster.
Old Rochester Regional Food Service Director Caitlin Meagher says she and the cafeteria workers are looking for ways they can keep food from going to waste.
“It’s especially upsetting when whole apples are going right into the trash,” said Meagher.
Recent school food mandates may also contribute to the issue. In an effort to get students to eat healthier, state and federal guidelines require them to take a fruit or vegetable when they go through the line ... but you can't make them eat it.
At the junior high and high school, a box is left in the lunchroom for students to leave uneaten fruit, as long as it is whole. At Center School in Mattapoisett, kids can put an unopened cheese stick or yogurt on the condiment table for another child to pick up.
“My concern is ensuring that, if we have a table where students can leave food, I want to make sure it’s still clean and safe to eat,” Meagher said.
Polling students, particularly at the high school, has helped Meagher to reduce some of the waste.