Like most organizations that serve prepared food, schools typically have surplus edible food. With some planning, this food can feed people instead of going to waste. StopWaste works with school districts to implement district-wide food share and food donation programs to recover and redistribute K-12 edible surplus food.

The Impact

Food recovery efforts in the cafeteria make a real difference:

170 items/day

One elementary school recovered approximately 170 surplus food items daily throughout the school year.

4,000 items

A high school rescued 4,000 surplus food items from kitchen storage in a single year.

60% reduction

Schools partnering with StopWaste average a 60% decrease in food sent to landfill.

Programs & Resources

Lunch staff sorting food share items

Food Recovery Requirements

California law requires schools to recover surplus edible food through partnerships with food recovery organizations—here's what you need to know and how StopWaste can help.
Student helping with the food share cart at school

Food Share & Donation

Guides and resources for setting up food share tables where students can redistribute surplus food, plus donation programs to partner with community food recovery organizations.

Get Started

Connect with StopWaste staff about food recovery programs at your school.
Submit an Inquiry