Reducing Food Waste Among College Students Through Educational Messaging

The environmental and societal impacts of food waste continue to be demonstrated in reports, governmental documents, and independent research. While it is not the leading source of food waste, the foodservice industry has an important role in bringing awareness of the detriments of waste to its consumers. The following paper offers observations on food waste behaviors in college students at South Dakota State University (SDSU), specifically at Larson’s Commons dining hall during the 2024 spring semester. The study explores whether advocating for decreased food waste through infographics at dining tables changes the amount of food and drink wasted during the semester. Results were demonstrated by the percent changes in the weight of food waste per student between January 2024 and April 2024: increase of 5% during breakfast, increase of 36% during lunch, and decrease of 13% during dinner. These results demonstrate the need for further interdisciplinary action on the issue of food wasted at Larson’s Commons at SDSU.