Healthy Habits: Food Loss and Waste Prevention

Council's larger award with NIFA is Increasing Food Production and Combating Food Waste and Loss through 4-H.

The Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP) aims to increase knowledge of agriculture and improve the nutritional health of children. In partnership with the National 4-H Council, FASLP awards grants to educate school children and youth about food loss and waste, along with strategies to reduce it. The program brings together stakeholders from different parts of the food system to enhance food, garden, and nutrition education within host organizations, such as school cafeterias and classrooms. The website offers valuable learning resources, lesson plans, and recorded trainings for Healthy Habits: Food Loss and Waste (FLW) grantees.

Food being discarded into waste bin.
In the United States, people waste 92 billion pounds of food annually, equal to 145 billion meals. They throw away over $473 billion worth of food annually. Shockingly, they waste 38% of all the food in America. Source: FeedingAmerica.org

Resources



General Guidebook Sample


 
Food Waste Prevention Resources


Guardians of the Food Galaxy
Here you can find all of the lessons, videos, games and resources for students and educators to become protectors of our food systems and our planet! The resources on this site merges climate change education with food waste reduction and plant-based eating initiatives. The goal of the program is to improve school administrations’ and students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards adopting healthy and sustainable eating habits.
https://sites.rutgers.edu/gotfg/

EPA Sustainable Management of Food
The resources found on the sustainable management of food is a systematic approach that seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated environmental impacts over the entire life cycle. Be sure to learn more about the Wasted Food Scale.
https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food

NourishSmart
In partnership with Utah Agriculture in the Classroom, NourishSmart lessons have been developed to assist educators by providing a lesson plan tying these concepts to agriculture. Lessons include:

  • Lesson 1: Exploring Origins Where Our Food Comes From
  • Lesson 2: Food Waste Impact on the Environment
  • Lesson 3: Preventing Food Waste at School
  • Lesson 4: Minimizing Food Waste at Home Strategies & Solutions

Click here to view all NourishSmart Curriculum


 
Youth Gardening & Composting

 
Junior Master Gardener Program

  • The Junior Master Gardener (JMG) program is an international youth gardening initiative led by the university cooperative Extension network. JMG engages children in novel, “hands-on” group and individual learning experiences, fostering a love for gardening, environmental appreciation, and cognitive development12. One of its popular curricula, Learn, Grow, Eat & Go (LGEG), combines academic achievement, gardening, nutrient-dense food experiences, physical activity, and family engagement for elementary students. Additionally, the new Early Childhood LGEG curriculum extends access to preK-Kinder students, emphasizing plant and garden learning, food exposure, and parental engagement1. JMG’s success relies on dedicated teachers and leaders, who can access resources to effectively engage students in this enriching program. https://jmgkids.us/

 
Food Preservation

 


Reduce Wasted Food by Feeding Animals


In the quest for sustainable food systems, feeding animals plays a crucial role. Beyond providing nutrition for livestock, it contributes to minimizing food waste. By repurposing byproducts, promoting circular economies, and preventing discarded scraps, animal feeding becomes a powerful strategy. Explore these websites to learn more about this symbiotic relationship between animals and waste reduction.


Recorded Meetings

Missed a meeting? Catch up here:

  • February 2026
    • "Planning for Success in Your School Garden" presented by Rowe Zwahlen
  • January 2026
    • This training focuses on basics of composting, covering do's and dont's, container options, and how to maintain a balanced compost. 
  • November 2025
  • May 2025
    • This recorded training featured Vernon Parent from Utah State University Extension 4-H, who introduced the concept of service learning and its application to food loss and waste prevention. During the session, Vernon explained how youth can engage in meaningful community service projects that address food waste while developing leadership, critical thinking, and civic engagement skills.
      The training highlighted key strategies for integrating service learning into youth programs and provided practical examples and resources to support implementation. Participants were guided through tools available through:
  • March 2025
    • Rowe Zwahlen from USU Extension, busts common myths circulating on social media about regrowing food waste—like carrot tops and lettuce—into full crops. Participants will explore the science of plant regrowth, learning what actually works versus what's just internet hype. With expert insights from Rowe, attendees will leave empowered to make informed, sustainable choices in their kitchens and gardens.
  • February 2025
    • Kelsey Romney of USU Extension highlights the 4-H Entrepreneurship program she developed to inspire and equip youth with real-world business skills. She provides an overview of the program's hands-on, project-based approach and explores how it can be a platform for youth to create innovative businesses focused on food loss and waste prevention.
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • April 2024
  • May 2024

 

This work is supported by the Food Agriculture Service Learning Program under award number 2023-70448-40509 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The findings and conclusions in this preliminary [publication/presentation/blog] have not been formally disseminated by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and Should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy.