Minnesota schools are continuing to make commitments to menu planning and using programs to help reduce the amount of food waste in its cafeterias. The Offer vs Serve program allows students to build a meal and take what they will eat, instead of taking food they may just throw away.

Shelby Tanner, Food Service Director for the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, says that students must select three of the five required food options as part of the program.

“The meal components are meats, grains, fruits, vegetables and milk. They really can customize their trays based on what foods they like in order to eliminate food waste and get the nutrition they need for the day,” says Tanner.

Students may also select as many raw vegetables as they’d like from the garden veggie bar their first time through the line without being charged.

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