Michigan State

Michigan State, which serves more than 30,000 meals a day, initiated a campaign that included a “Weigh the Plate” project. Waste remaining on diners’ plates was weighed on electronic scales each week in one of the 11 dining halls on either a Tuesday or Wednesday during peak lunch and dinner hours. One finding was that the size of the serving utensil affected the size of the portion taken which was directly related to the amount of waste generated. This and other findings led to strategies to encourage food sampling prior to taking a helping, smaller portions, and trayless service.