GreenVET pathway

Carry What You Need: Trayless Canteens

Trayless canteens are a sustainability practice where schools remove trays from dining areas to reduce food waste, water usage, and encourage more mindful consumption among students and staff.

Key People and Partners Involved

School management
Students
Canteen staff

Description of the practice

Trayless canteens are a simple yet effective sustainability practice to reduce food waste, conserve water, and promote responsible consumption habits. By removing trays from dining areas, students are encouraged to take only what they can carry—typically one plate and one drink—thereby reducing the tendency to overload with food they may not finish. This change in dining behavior subtly encourages more mindful eating and contributes to waste reduction efforts across the institution.

To implement trayless dining, schools typically begin with a pilot program, often during a designated sustainability week or waste-awareness campaign. Communication campaigns—through posters, social media, and peer-led outreach—prepare students for the change and explain its environmental impact. Facilities may also redesign serving areas to be more efficient without trays, and kitchen staff are trained to monitor waste levels and adjust meal preparation accordingly.

Schools that adopt this model often see significant reductions in food waste—ranging from 20% to over 50% in some cases—as students are less likely to take excess food. Additionally, water usage in dishwashing decreases substantially, since trays require large volumes of water to clean. The practice also fosters a broader culture of environmental responsibility within the school community, contributing to institutional goals under the Whole Institution Approach and advancing global targets such as SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), SDG 6 (Clean Water), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Where it’s being implemented

This link might not lead to content in English language. Use your browser's translate function or automatic captions to explore this resource.

Several Universities in the USA have adopted this practice and it has been in full effect for almost two decades.
https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/legacy/enews/2008/08/going-greener-for-fall--ucs-residential-restaurants-eliminate-food-trays.html"utm_source=chatgpt.com

Impact and Results

Significant reduction in food waste: Smaller portion sizes and less uneaten food
Lower Water Consumption: Fewer items go through the dishwasher, saving large volumes of water
Reduced Energy Use in Kitchens: Lower electricity use in dishwashers and hot water systems, cutting overall energy demand in school kitchens
Decrease in Chemical and Detergent Usage: Fewer detergents used, which means reduced chemical discharge into water systems, reducing schools' environmental impact

Implementation Tips and Insights

Start with Awareness and Education: Inform students, staff, and cafeteria workers about the environmental and financial benefits of going trayless.
Start with Awareness and Education: Inform students, staff, and cafeteria workers about the environmental and financial benefits of going trayless.
Collect Data and Share Results: Track food waste and operational savings before and after implementation.
Share positive outcomes with the school community to motivate continued support and improve practices.

Useful Links and Resources

This link might not lead to content in English language. Use your browser's translate function or automatic captions to explore this resource. 2022 Study: The Impact of Trayless Dining Implementation on University Diners’ Satisfaction, Food Selection, Consumption, and Waste Behaviors
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/24/16669
You are looking for further ways of making your canteen more sustainable? Check out the StratKIT toolbox with over fifty step-by-step tools—from strategic approaches to practical activities—for all stakeholders in public catering, which can be browsed, filtered by topic, and added to a personal collection for download and use.
https://www.sustainable-public-meal.eu/en/about-the-toolkit/#h-about-the-tools