What do children really eat at school? National research on children’s eating habits and food waste

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 10. 01. 10:44

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School meals affect the lives of every family: they affect whether the child lives well during the day, how the evening meal turns out at home, and how much food ends up in the trash. The research, which is now underway, will examine, with the involvement of several hundred families, how children’s daily meals are related to the health, costs and food waste of households.

In Hungary, an average person throws away nearly 60 kg of food per year, which corresponds to a loss of about 40 thousand forints per person. For a family of four, this can be the value of an entire monthly utility bill or several weeks of shopping. The situation of families with children is more difficult in this regard, as it is not easy to calculate the cost of a child’s meal. Some people entrust the children’s meals to the canteen, where, according to domestic surveys, a third of the food served remains on the plate. Others prepare a snack, which the child often takes home untouched. A buffet or a nearby convenience store is also an option. But what did the child actually eat during the day? Did he eat the canteen food and the snack? Did he get the necessary nutrients? What should he do with the leftover snack?

caThe REFINE research was launched to understand the everyday situations that occur in households with children, the results of which will be incorporated into the Nébih No Leftovers program. Households with children are invited to apply for the survey. Participation not only helps the research, but can also be useful for families: applicants receive feedback on their own eating and wasting habits.