
Skelton Primary School learn how to reduce food waste
The Cool Food Pro team recently delivered a whole school assembly and workshop to year five and six pupils at Skelton Primary School. They taught pupils about the real value of food, highlighting the energy, water, people and fuel used to grow, process and transport food
The Cool Food Pro team recently delivered a whole school assembly and workshop to year five and six pupils at Skelton Primary School. They taught pupils about the real value of food, highlighting the energy, water, people and fuel used to grow, process and transport food. The pupils were enthusiastic and made great contributions, sharing their knowledge about farming and climate change.
The pupils engaged in the session and were surprised to learn how much water was needed to produce different food items, especially for animal products such as beef burgers, cheese and eggs.
Later on, pupils worked in groups to complete a puzzle which revealed food waste facts. They were surprised to learn that for an 80g serving of peas to get on your plate it takes on average 26 litres of water and eight people. 204g of CO₂ is generated through its production, and if thrown away it costs £1.35 per kg wasted. If they matched the correct pieces, they could see a whole image of the food. When comparing foods, they found that animal products generally had the largest environmental footprint, with chocolate and strawberries not far behind.
The team also showed pupils how the school’s catering team monitor food waste using the Cool Food Pro calculator. The school is currently producing 4kg of plate waste per day. They aim to reduce this by approximately 10%, which would equate to a reduction of 2kg of Co₂e. and a £3 saving per service. These seemingly small savings would soon add up over a school week, term and school year.
This activity helped pupils to understand the real value of food, the resources which have gone into its production and the importance of not throwing it away. This awareness will help reduce plate waste in the school as pupils now better understand how they can help the planet by not putting food in the bin.
Cool Food Pro delivered an engaging and thought-provoking workshop on food waste. I would recommend repeating it in further schools, especially for the KS2 age group.
More case studies

Caterlink reduce food waste in school kitchens
Education catering specialists, Caterlink are working with one of their primary school sites as a pilot in Cambridgeshire to reduce the amount of food left over at the counter after lunch time service.
By looking at baseline waste values at Isle of Ely Primary School, they have set out key areas to work on that will result in less food going in the bin, with a view to roll this out across the business.

Student caterers at Walsall College attend sustainable food workshop
Students at Walsall College, in the West Midlands, recently enjoyed an interactive workshop about sustainable food. The session – from the Soil Association and Cool Food Pro – encouraged these future caterers to think about food that’s good for people and planet, from the very start of their catering careers.

Norse Group go organic and reduce meat for more climate friendly meals
Norse Group, a Norfolk and Suffolk based caterer are enhancing their meal offers by incorporating more climate friendly practices. Joining the Cool Food Pro project as a pilot site has enabled them to adopt additional sustainable working practices to further reduce their carbon impact.
Healthy, nutritious meals have always been a priority for Norse. They use high quality ingredients, much of which is also locally sourced, to provide seasonal and nutritionally balanced meals in schools, colleges, care homes and businesses. They currently hold the Soil Association Food for Life Served Here Silver award for their use of ethical ingredients that support the local economy and are better for health, nature and our climate.