Rolling out Eat Smart

Kavli Trust is continuing its support for the Eat Smart programme, helping pupils reduce food waste and make more sustainable choices. The programme is now being expanded to 48 new schools in the UK.

About the project

What happens to food left over in the school canteen or on pupils’ plates? The Eat Smart school programme gives pupils in the UK the opportunity to look at their own food waste and help find ways to tackle it. The programme combines learning with practical action, giving pupils, teachers and kitchen staff the knowledge and tools they need to make better use of food and prevent waste.

Over the course of three years, Rolling Out Eat Smart will bring the programme to 48 new schools in North East England and other parts of the UK. Around 9,600 pupils will take part in lessons and workshops. The aim is to reduce food waste in participating schools by at least 25%, while engaging pupils as “Waste Warriors” and encouraging them to put what they have learnt into practice both at school and at home.

The project builds on the results of previous collaboration between Bind and schools in North East England, which have shown that Eat Smart can help reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024 alone, the project contributed to a reduction of 62 tonnes of CO₂. The experience gained through the programme has also helped influence how local authorities approach food waste.

What will funding from Kavli Trust support?

Kavli Trust has awarded NOK 3 million over three years to Rolling Out Eat Smart. The funding will help Bind expand the programme by recruiting and training new partners and developing a national platform to engage more schools and share knowledge and expertise on reducing food waste and informing policymaking.

The funding will also strengthen Bind as an organisation and lay the foundations for the long-term delivery and further expansion of Eat Smart.

About Bind Food Waste Innovation

Bind Food Waste Innovation CIC is based in Newcastle in North East England and works to reduce food waste and promote more sustainable use of food. Its work includes collecting and redistributing surplus food, raising awareness, and delivering the Eat Smart educational programme in primary schools.

Kavli Trust has worked with Bind since 2021. Through this partnership, Eat Smart has been piloted and further developed in schools across North East England. The next phase will build on this experience to bring the programme to more schools and regions, helping to drive wider action to reduce food waste across the UK school system.