'Share Tables' At LIFE Schools Are Reducing Food Waste And Feeding Hungry Students

Apr 26, 2018 by apost team

You probably remember taking your lunch to school when you were a child. The usual packed lunch consists of a sandwich, a piece of fruit or some veggies, a drink of some sort, and a treat for dessert. However, most kids don't finish all of their lunch.

Some schools initially noted this was an issue when they realized how much food was being thrown away by students who didn't finish their lunches. There could be any number of reasons why these lunches go unfinished, but what matters is that perfectly good food is getting tossed in the trash.
 

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Some schools have realized this is an issue, so they are trying a new idea called 'Share Tables' to ease the problem. The basic idea is that any unopened food item can be placed on the table, and other students can take them. This not only helps reduce food waste, but it helps hungry children get the food they need.
 

Even though the issue of child hunger is often discussed in terms of children abroad, roughly one in six American children are food-insecure, which means they don't get enough food and rarely know if and when their next meal will be.

Many families across the nation struggle to meet their obligations, and this can typically lead to a lack of food. Teachers can't help but notice the students that don't have enough to eat since they can barely focus on school. This 'Share Table' idea helps ensure that no child's education will suffer because of insufficient nutrition.
 

The sad part about the number of children and adults who don't get enough food in the United States is that there is more than enough food to go around, but a huge fraction of it simply gets wasted.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. wastes nearly 40 percent of the total available food supply on a regular basis.

To ensure that absolutely no food goes to waste with this 'Share Table' system, schools collect all the food from the table at the end of the day and donate it to a local charity, like a food bank or a church.
 

This is especially nice for kids who need food at school since they can't control what they get at home. Parents could go to food pantries to collect food for their families, but sometimes even that isn't an option. These 'Share Tables' bring the communal food source directly to the lunchroom.

Spread the word so others can see this excellent idea and perhaps it will be implemented in more schools. Provide any stories or opinions you have about this idea as well.