Environmental sustainability and food provision in the early childhood and education setting

Bibliographic Data

ID15090447
AuthorsAudrey Elford (0000-0002-8174-0697, Deakin University, corresponding author), Alison C Spence (0000-0001-9029-1718, Deakin University), Amy Wakem, Margaret Rozman (0000-0002-9367-8560), Karen Campbell (0000-0002-4499-3396, Deakin University), Karen J Campbell (0000-0002-1244-3947, Deakin University), Penelope Love
Year2023
Volume26
Issue11
Pages2200-2210
Publication date2023-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Health Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-9800 • E-ISSN: 1475-2727
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1368980023001908
PMID37807888
OpenAlexW4387435498
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited28

Objective: To describe environmentally sustainable (ES) and healthy food provision practices in childcare services in Victoria, Australia. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Childcare services providing food onsite. Participants: Staff completed an online survey that explored ES food provision practices including purchasing seasonal/local food, food waste awareness/management, and food cost/child/d. A purposively sampled subgroup conducted weighed audits to determine compliance with guidelines and total waste, serving waste (prepared, not served) and plate waste. Results: Survey results found 8 % of services ( n 129) had previously conducted food waste audits. Service audits ( n 12) found 27 % total food waste (range: 9 % - 64 %). Statistically significant differences in plate waste were found between services who had previously conducted food waste audits (7 %) and those who had not (17 %) ( P = 0·04). The most common ES practice was ‘providing seasonal food’; the least common was ‘maintaining a compost system’ and ‘less packaged foods’. Most services (95 %) purchased foods from supermarkets with 23 % purchasing from farmers’ markets. This was statistically lower for regional/rural services (8 %), compared to metropolitan services (27 %) ( P = 0·04). Twenty-seven per cent of services spent AUD2·50 or less per child per day on food. Only one audited service provided a menu compliant with childcare food provision guidelines. Conclusions: Childcare settings procure and provide large volumes of food; however, food waste awareness appears limited, and environmentally sustainable food procurement practices may be less affordable and difficult to achieve. Understanding the impact of food waste awareness on food waste practices and food costs across time merits further research

Agricultural science · Audit · Business · Environmental health · Food service · Food waste · Metropolitan area · Procurement · Purchasing · Service (business · Sustainability · Waste management · Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Engineering · Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability · Medicine · Marketing

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