Plate waste and food acceptability among elementary school students in a school feeding programme in Sidoarjo

Nutrition Study Program, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Jawa Timur, 60213, Indonesia

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Abstract

School feeding programmes play an important role in improving children's nutritional intake and well-being. However, plate waste may reduce their effectiveness. This study aimed to assess plate waste and its association with food acceptability and portion size among elementary school students participating in a school feeding programme in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 104 students aged 9–14 years. Plate waste was assessed using the Visual Comstock method, while food acceptability and portion size were measured using a structured questionnaire. Cooked vegetables (57.5%) and raw vegetables (50.0%) showed the highest levels of plate waste, whereas tortilla-based menus had the lowest (9.6%). Significant associations were found between food acceptability and plate waste for rice (p=0.001), tortilla (p=0.003), fish (p=0.034), chicken (p=0.011), egg (p<0.001), meat (p<0.001), tempeh (p=0.002), tofu (p=0.041), cooked vegetables (p=0.001), raw vegetables (p=0.012), and fruit (p=0.001). Significant associations between portion size and plate waste were observed for meat (p=0.030) and tempeh (p=0.002). Efforts to improve menu planning, ensure appropriate portion sizes, and strengthen nutrition education particularly to increase acceptance of vegetables, which showed the highest levels of plate waste may help reduce plate waste and enhance the effectiveness of school feeding programmes.