Edible plate waste assessment in a university dining hall

A method to measure and assess plate waste quantitatively in a university dining hall was developed and tested. Waste per person averaged 8.8 ox. per day, with total plate waste oer day estimated at 468 lb. Less waste occurred at breakfast than at the other two meals. One-fourth of all cooked vegetables served was wasted. The data also indicated that almost one-half of the total food waste was composed of beverage items. Mean cost of plate waste per person per day totaled +0.265. Impact of the cost of this plate waste on the total food budget was considerable, amounting to about +26,400 during the semester. Although reasons for plate waste were not determined as part of this study, examination of waste within or among food groups was informative, indicating where corrective measures could be targeted. Value of the study data can best be realized as a baseline for comparison with future studies.