Vrtec Vrhnika, enota Žabica

We conducted a self-audit of food waste and plastic waste.The audit involved four educators, a cleaner, a cook in the distribution kitchen, the head of school nutrition and hygiene regime, and the assistant principal. We found out that the largest share of food waste consists of uneaten food. In meetings, staff members discussed how to minimize leftovers (which foods children like or dislike, introducing new dishes, etc.). The kitchen was regularly informed by educators about which foods are needed in smaller or larger quantities. We acquired a blender to make smoothies from leftover fruit and vegetables. We also made the rules for dining and reducing food waste in kindergartens: all playrooms were equipped with guidelines for kindergarten nutrition and food waste reduction. These guidelines serve as a visual reminder for employees and are also practical for substitute teachers and students. We implemented photo menu. We created visual menus, which were well received by children. These are displayed next to the standard menu in a designated area in the hallway. We prepared dishes from food waste: We collected leftovers from snacks (bread, walnuts, raisins, cereals) and used them to make a bread pudding. We also used eggs from our own hens. The recipe was recorded and shared with parents. Children wrote and illustrated strategies for reducing food waste, which we compiled into a poster and shared with parents.