New Law Enables Meal Donations from School Canteens
On 25 February 2025, a press conference in Prague marked the launch of a pioneering regulation that allows school canteens to donate unissued meals rather than discarding them. This policy shift was made possible through a strong collaboration with the Ministries of Finance, Health, and Education, and the efforts of the Zachraň jídlo initiative.
🧾 A practical guide was introduced to support schools, NGOs, and local governments in safely and legally implementing the donation of leftover meals — ensuring both food safety and social impact.
Why It Matters
- Schools cut disposal costs.
- Meals reach people in need
- Food waste is significantly reduced, benefiting the environment.
The pilot program at the First Language Primary School in Prague 4 was a success — over 1,500 meals were donated in just three months!
Knowledge Sharing – Workshop on Leftover Food Treatment
On 19 March 2025, a workshop titled “Leftover Food Treatment” was held at the Technical University of Ostrava. As part of the foodCIRCUS initiative, it brought together experts, school representatives, and researchers to share experiences and innovations in handling school canteen leftovers.
The event focused on
· Current and novel treatment methods for leftover food
· Preventive strategies to reduce waste at its source – during planning and meal preparation stages
We thank all the participants and contributors for their active involvement, ideas, and commitment to making school food systems more sustainable!
Stay tuned for more updates from our Czech partners and their inspiring progress!