Conducted within the Horizon 2020 SchoolFood4Change project, the study found that children's openness to trying new dishes was the single strongest factor associated with lower plate waste, followed by enjoyment of eating socially with classmates and ethical or environmental food values. Conversely, a preference for sweet and energy-dense foods was linked to higher waste, while strict adherence to family food rules showed no significant effect either way.

The study also found that national regulatory context mattered: countries with mandatory sustainability criteria in school food procurement, such as Germany, Austria, France and Sweden, recorded lower plate waste than countries lacking such requirements. The authors suggest that locally adapted recipes, rather than standardised menus, combined with attention to the social atmosphere of the canteen, can support the shift toward more sustainable school meals across the EU.

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