Our Italian partner, the University of Bologna (UNIBO), brings years of experience in food waste prevention to the foodCIRCUS project — and is now testing real solutions in schools and kindergartens in Northern Italy.
Monitoring and Nudging in Action
In 10 canteens, food waste is being measured and analyzed to support practical interventions.
Does order matter?
Research by UNIBO, published in Food Policy, showed that serving vegetables first instead of last led to a reduction in vegetable waste by up to 26 percentage points in some schools. But in others, waste actually increased.
What made the difference?
- The canteen setting
- Children’s preferences
- Meal presentation
The key insight? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution — interventions must be tailored to local contexts.
Together with regional authorities, nutritionists, catering providers, teachers and children, our partner is turning research into playful, practical tools to prevent food waste.
Sometimes the smallest changes — like when you serve the veggies — can make the biggest difference.