Assessing and addressing food waste in university dining

A dual-design study at Brescia University College in Ontario, Canada

Authors

  • Jessica Vader London Health Sciences Centre
  • Victoria Hanson Brescia University College at Western University
  • Latifeh Ahmadi Brescia University College at Western University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15353/cfs-rcea.v12i2.683

Keywords:

Consumer attitudes, consumer behaviours, food waste, plate waste, university dining hall, university restaurants, university students

Abstract

In Canada, approximately 35.5 million metric tonnes of food are wasted annually, with avoidable food loss and waste costing Canada $49.5 billion (Nikkel et al., 2019). The volume of food waste in Canada harms environmental sustainability and leads to economic inefficiency and social inequality (Soma, 2022). This study at Brescia University College explored methods to reduce plate waste in a university restaurant. Using two research designs, this study first analyzed and categorized all plate waste, finding non-food waste predominantly during breakfast (59.8 percent) and lunch (54.3 percent). Edible waste was highest during dinner (51.0 percent); carbohydrates contributed to the most waste (54.5 percent) and plant-based protein (3.1 percent) the least.

The second design involved student participation in waste weighing and completing questionnaires. Results showed a median edible waste of 19.0g, with fullness, poor taste, large portion size, and inability to bring home leftovers as the main reasons for waste. Meal plan students had a significantly higher amounts of plate waste than non-meal plan students (p<0.001).

Recommendations include serving smaller portions, improving food taste, and offering storage solutions for leftovers.

A picnic table covered in summer produce: red, orange, and yellow tomatoes, corn, okra, basil, nasturtium flowers, eggplants and aronia berries

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Published

2025-09-04

How to Cite

Vader, J., Hanson, V., & Ahmadi, L. (2025). Assessing and addressing food waste in university dining: A dual-design study at Brescia University College in Ontario, Canada. Canadian Food Studies La Revue Canadienne Des études Sur l’alimentation, 12(2), 23–43. https://doi.org/10.15353/cfs-rcea.v12i2.683

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2025): On Resilience, Adaptability, Cooperation, and Innovation

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Jessica Vader, Victoria Hanson, Latifeh Ahmadi

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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