Summary: Under the National School Lunch Program, about 26 million students nationwide were served lunches daily during fiscal year 1995. Federal costs for the program totalled more than $5 billion that year--about $4.5 billion in cash reimbursements and more than $600 million in commodity foods, such as beef patties, flour, and canned vegetables. Although most cafeteria managers GAO surveyed reported that plate waste in the public schools was not a concern, about one-quarter of the managers characterized plate waste as at least a "moderate problem"--particularly at the elementary school level. Cafeteria managers strongly agreed on some of the reasons for and ways to reduce plate waste. For example, 78 percent of cafeteria managers cited students' attention on recess, free time, or socializing as reasons for waste. Almost 80 percent of these managers believed that allowing students to select only what they want to eat would reduce plate waste. Most cafeteria managers were satisfied with the federal commodities they received for use in the school lunch program.
