Food Waste in Educational Media: A systematic literature review

Food waste is a critical global issue with significant environmental, economic and social consequences. Educational institutions, as early intervention agents, play a strategic role in fostering sustainable behaviors among students. This systematic literature review aims to explore how interactive learning media have been used to address food waste awareness and behavior in formal education settings. Following the PRISMA protocol, 19 peer -reviewed articles published in the last five years were selected through the Scopus indexed database. The review identified five main themes: awareness, attitude, behavior, media type, and curriculum integration. The results showed that interactive media, such as educational games, digital apps and e-modules, were consistently effective in improving students' awareness and attitudes, although their long-term behavioral impact remains limited without curriculum support. Practical activities and campaign-based interventions also how promising results, but require strategic integration to produce sustainable change. This review contributes to the growing literature by mapping current trends and highlighting the need for more comprehensive and technology -based educational strategies to reduce food waste. Further research is recommended to evaluate the long -term effectiveness and contextual adaptation of these interventions in diverse educational environments.