FoodLoops: School Meal Development Initiatives in the Baltic Sea Region

On March 12–13, 2025, FoodLoops gathered in Gdańsk, Poland, to learn about actions aimed at reducing food waste and promoting the utilization of biowaste. Participants represented the Municipal Engineering Department of the City of Gdańsk, the Bio and Circular Economy Research Unit of Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Finland), the Lithuanian Consumer Institute, the Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) in Germany, and the cities of Kraków and Rybnik.

In addition, two international workshops were organized to present not only the activities of project partners, but also those of stakeholders and other regions. The workshops focused on developing sustainable food production and consumption as well as food waste valorization, especially in the school context.

Developments and Challenges in Lithuania

In Lithuania, training is provided for public catering institutions to improve food preparation and serving skills. One of the key challenges in schools is that the meals often do not match students’ taste preferences. Current regulations related to school meals are quite inflexible when it comes to planning menus. In terms of food production, local farmers are unable to meet the quantity of food needed for schools.

Proposed solutions include student surveys, food tastings, and the development of technologies to better forecast the amount of food required. Educational content could be strengthened through in-service teacher training and school visits to waste management companies, farms, and sorting centers.

Lithuania has a relatively well-organized waste management system; biowaste is sorted into separate orange bags along with other waste, after which it is processed with the help of a robot. However, a significant challenge remains: people often place non-organic waste in the biowaste bags. Therefore, education and attitudinal change are urgently needed. Practical pilot projects at different school levels, cooperation between homes and schools, and joint development efforts between schools and waste operators can help reinforce sustainability-based practices.

Sustainable Procurement and Education in Poland

In Poland, sustainable procurement and education are supported by purchasing locally produced, organically grown, and environmentally packaged products—thus also supporting local producers and farmers. However, participants highlighted several challenges regarding school staff responsible for procurement struggle to obtain high-quality products and are bound by supplier contracts that limit flexibility in choosing where products are purchased.

Four key recommendations were raised during the workshops:

• Organize meetings between school representatives, municipal officials, and suppliers to address the unsatisfactory and unreliable quality of school meal deliveries,
• Develop municipality-based procurement contract templates for food purchases that include specific delivery evaluation criteria and enable closer involvement in the procurement process,
• Provide legal support from municipal lawyers for schools to implement contract terms such as complaints, sanctions, and termination, and
• Offer training for school procurement officers to enhance their skills and knowledge.

The goal of these recommendations is to ensure the effective implementation of sustainable procurement practices, enabling schools to procure high-quality products while also supporting local producers and urban farmers.

One major challenge is the portion size and the short lunch break allocated to students. This creates an additional issue on how to manage leftover food. Currently, the lack of information prevents the reuse of surplus food in meals, and regulations prohibit the use of community fridges or donating leftover food to charities. Furthermore, the lack of knowledge among staff and kitchen personnel creates a significant barrier for both sides.

Cooperation with Fundacja Twoja Rola and Other Partners

Collaboration has taken place with the Gdańsk-based foundation Fundacja Twoja Rola, which focuses on urban agriculture and issues of social responsibility. Its urban farm, Manufaktura Ogrody Sitowie, uses sustainable methods such as fermentation to grow vegetables. The foundation’s activities include designing, establishing, and maintaining ecological gardens; promoting social and professional activation; and leading social economy projects.

FoodLoops has also cooperated with Primary School No. 61, where a pilot composting system built by a local farmer is in use. The goal is to utilize nutrients in the school’s new garden.

In the city of Rybnik, there are 58 school kitchens and three external caterers. Schools implement numerous sustainability and food waste reduction actions. Social kitchens utilize surplus food from grocery stores, while community fridges offer food from shops, restaurants and schools. Sustainable culinary education focuses on cooking with surplus ingredients and creating career opportunities in sustainable gastronomy. Reusable food storage containers are also in use. School food waste is monitored using the Rybnik model “Action for Sustainable Consumption and Production.”

In Kraków, the Krzemionki Community Garden, known as Wild Strawberry Meadow, was originally established to prevent overdevelopment in the area and to promote urban farming and community spirit. There are currently 16 community gardens (Ogrod Społeczny) in the city.

Collaboration with Estonian Experts

Cooperation has also taken place with sustainability experts from Estonia. In Estonia, local governments are responsible for organizing school meals. In 2024–2025, a pilot development program is being implemented, initially involving five schools: Nõo Primary School, Melliste School, Puhja School, Konguta School, and Võnnu Secondary School. Five additional schools will join the program in the future: Kolkja School, Pala School, Alatskivi School, Vara School, and Tabivere School.

The program focuses on healthy nutrition that takes into account physical, mental and social needs. Cooperation has materialized in chef training sessions, school support materials, and school-specific activities that avoid comparison or competition. “Open Kitchen” weeks are organized for parents and lunch times for students are extended. Additionally, food topics are more broadly integrated into various subjects, healthy food options are offered at events, and a student recipe book with nutritional information is created. Schools weigh food waste and use self-evaluation to identify its sources and how leftovers are utilized.

The program aims to expand nationwide. One of its goals is to involve parents of first-grade students in food-related discussions. As part of the initiative, surveys are conducted to gather opinions on school catering services.[1] According to a FoodLoops survey, there is also a need in North Savo (Finland) to involve parents in food discussions, as 60% of responding students reported that they do not talk about school meals with their parents.

You can access the manual focused on reducing food waste and utilizing biowaste on the FoodLoops website:

👉 https://interreg-baltic.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/FOODLOOP_v9.pdf

Authors:

Anne Holopainen, Project Coordinator, +358 40 7855 616, anne.holopainen@savonia.fi
Ulla Santti, Project Manager, +358 44 7856 921, ulla.santti@savonia.fi

[1] 25.04.25 Presentation by Kaidi Randpõld, FoodLoops 2^nd Replication Workshop

Programme Manual Online

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