
Mindful Choice Meals (MCM) is a student-led food waste reduction and environmental literacy program that transforms the cafeteria into a hub for learning, leadership, and action.
Developed in response to our waste audit findings—showing that up to 80% of school food waste is completely untouched.
Our students educate peers and adults about Offer vs Serve USDA guidelines what’s required to take at the lunch line. You only need to take 3 items, one of them has to be a fruit or vegetable. You are not required to take milk or protein.
MCM empowers students to make informed choices at the lunch line, based on a clear understanding of nutrition and USDA meal guidelines. This shift leads to remarkable results: up to 40% less food waste, 30% more food consumption, and 51% less plastic waste in participating schools.
MCM now integrates local composting, allowing students to not only reduce waste but also process food scraps on-site or nearby—helping to close the food waste loop and create replicable, community-rooted models for citywide change.