First place went to Cavedoni Primary School in Castelvetro di Modena, Italy, for "Zero Waste Canteen," which turned food waste reduction into a weekly class challenge combined with nutrition education for parents. Second place was awarded to a public kindergarten in Przedborowa, Poland, for "Every Bite Counts," and third place to Val Kindergarten in the Czech Republic, for "I Know What I Eat."

At the Italian winning school, teachers reported that children began trying previously rejected foods, particularly vegetables, and carrying these habits home to their families, with the programme now expanding to reach around 700 pupils across the school.

foodCIRCUS, coordinated by the University of Vienna, works with schools across five Central European countries to reduce food waste through practical tools, redistribution and circular approaches such as repurposing waste for insect feed or bioplastics, with school canteens estimated to discard up to 70% of prepared meals in some cases.

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