One of the things I have noticed, however, makes me so profoundly sad. I have eaten lunch in the cafeteria with the kids I teach. From preschool through 5th grade. The amount of good food and milk I see thrown away every day makes me sick. We could feed so many hungry people with that food. So many kids order hot lunch and it sits on their trays totally uneaten. Not even a bite taken. I ask why they didn't eat it, and they say things like ,"I wasn't hungry", or "I don't like it". It makes me so sad.
Last week I was subbing and went to the cafeteria to pick up my kids. A little girl had not even opened her container of milk. I asked the teacher assistant if she could put it back, or give it to a friend. I was told it is "illegal" to do that since the parent had paid for the milk. A 1/2 pint of unopened chocolate milk went into the trash. I actually plan to look into this with the school system and see if there is something that can be done.
I wonder what happens to all of the food that is cooked and not eaten. Do they reuse the food in "leftovers", or is it also thrown away and wasted??? The horrible waste disgusts me, especially with so many hungry families in the United States and abroad.
