How it works
Through a mix of audits, workshops, assemblies and hands-on activities, schools quickly understand where food waste happens and take action to reduce it.
Led by an Eat Smart facilitator, the programme brings together pupils, kitchen teams and staff — with Waste Warriors, a team of pupils, helping drive the project forward.
The programme follows a simple five-step journey:
1
A pupil-led whole school audit, measuring how much food is being wasted over a full week. This creates a clear baseline and helps everyone understand the scale of the issue.
2
Food awareness week, explores why food is wasted through workshops, assemblies and activities. This builds understanding, sparks ideas and gets the whole school engaged.
3
Working together, the waste warriors and kitchen teams design a bespoke action plan — practical changes that can be tested in the dining hall and across the school.
4
A second pupil-led audit measures impact — how much food waste has been reduced, money saved, and environmental benefit.
5
We continue to support schools to embed The Eat Smart Habit — simple systems and behaviours that keep reducing food waste long after the programme ends.
Beyond the Programme
Eat Smart is part of a growing network of schools working together across the UK to strengthen school food systems and food education.
Schools that have completed the Eat Smart programme come together through local and regional events - sharing learning, celebrating progress and building new ideas.
In the North East, Eat Smart schools are introducing Eco Fridges, where unserved school meals can be safely stored and redistributed within the school community from a fridge in reception, helping to reduce waste further.
Together, schools are showing what’s possible when Eat Smart Habits become part of everyday school life.
Join the waiting list
Eat Smart is a flagship project developed by BIND. It is delivered by Bind and local delivery partners all across the UK. BIND is a collection of projects and people that reduce food waste by bringing people together to create change.
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