How health and the general
environment
are connected
through
What does healthy
and sustainable
diet
nutrition?
mean
forand
food
in schools?
Dr. Jennie Macdiarmid
What does sustainable mean?
HEALTH
healthy
fat & sugar
food and nutrient
guidelines
value for money
quality
business
ECONOMIC
financial constraints,
economic growth
local
convenient
seasonal
waterfootprint
tasty
HEALTHY &
SUSTAINABLE
school meals
ENVIRONMENT
SOCIAL
acceptable, peer
pressure
pleasurable
minimise impact
culturally
acceptable
greenhouse gases
biodiversity
Sustainable and healthy food in schools
Health
 Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition (Scotland) Act 2007
- food & nutrient standards
Social
 acceptability, preferences
Economic


affordable
budgets
Environment




We need to maintain healthy
ecosystems so that we can provide food
for generations to come with minimal
negative impact to the environment.
www.scottishschoolmeals.co.uk/sustainability/
climate change (i.e. greenhouse gas emissions)
food waste
water use
land use
Greenhouse gas emissions in the food system
CH4
CO2
CO2
N2O
production
CO2
retail
processing
CO2
composting
food waste
CO2
consumption
Greenhouse gas emissions of food
red meat (beef/lamb)
dairy products
pork / white meat / fish / eggs
fruits / vegetables / beans / pulses
cereals
sugar
But it depends:
- production method
- location / season
- processing & storage
Example of meals in primary schools
Red meat (i.e. beef, lamb, venison, pork) ~ 30% meals offered
Nutritional requirements for food and drink in schools:
recommends 2 x week
offered ~4 x week (range 2- 6)
GHG emissions: examples of school meals
%
kgCO2e/ serving
Reformulate meals: reduce meat by a third
Reform
1
kidney beans
onion, peppers,
leeks, carrots,
turnips
tomatoes, onion,
rice
reduce peppers
rice
Reform
2
kidney beans,
vegetables, rice
onion, leeks,
carrots, pepper,
turnips, couscous
peppers, tomatoes
peppers
Food waste in schools
Sustainability issues
- embedded energy in uneaten food (e.g. GHGE)
- cost in purchasing food, preparing & and disposal of waste
- lost nutritional benefits of uneaten food
- likes and dislikes of the food
Survey in England (2009-10)
-
30 primary schools / 9 secondary schools in England (3 weeks)
waste collected and sorted from all the schools
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Food%20waste%20in%20schools%20full%20report%20.pdf
WRAP 2011
80,382 tonnes food waste in school per yr
(83% avoidable)
69% waste in primary schools:
 72% canteen, kitchen
 22% classroom, play ground
 6% other. e.g. staffroom
most common foods
49% fruit & vegetables
17% mixed dishes
greenhouse gas emissions
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Water%20and%20Carbon%20Footprint%20report%20Final%2C%20Nov%202011.pdf
Vision for sustainable food in schools
HEALTH
food and nutrient
guidelines
HEALTHY &
SUSTAINABLE
school meals
ECONOMIC
financial constraints,
economic growth
seasonal
SOCIAL
acceptable, peer
pressure
local
ENVIRONMENT
minimise impact
greenhouse gases
water use
land use
biodiversity