Action Plan Ideas for Plastic Free Lunch Day

PLASTIC FREE LUNCH DAY, food service change. On one day, school food staff prepares & serves food with less or no plastic. Save money! See our cost savings report! 

• MEET with your SCHOOL FOOD MANAGER. Discuss reducing single-use plastics on one Plastic Free Lunch Day and then every day. Suggestions can include:

1. ​Hand out "Utensils by request only" every day
2. Serve dressings, condiments and sauces in bulk (such as refillable pump jars) instead of individual plastic packages
3. Wrap sandwiches in bulk instead of individually in plastic wrap.
4. Make all pizza menu days plastic-free
5. Make all "hand-held" menu days plastic-free too (i.e, burgers, burritos, tacos, egg rolls)
6. Offer more menu items that do not require utensils for eating (burrito, burger, tacos, oranges, bananas)

   

• PLASTIC FREE ____ DAY. Simplify the day with a focus on reducing one or more items of single-use plastic packaging, such as a:
     -- straws (students teach students:  do we need them?)
     -- condiment packets (dispense from squeeze bottles or spoon/ladle onto student plates)
     -- utensils (bring utensils from home or choose a hand-held food/ finger food menu)
     -- chip bags (serve by "bulk" onto student plates)
     -- water cups (bring water bottles from home/ hold a fundraiser to purchase)

 

• ​"SKIP THE STUFF" day or "Take Only What You Need Day." On one day, dispense utensils, napkins, and other single-use items by request only instead of automatically serving with each meal (printable posters ->)​

 

• PLASTIC WASTE AUDIT - Conduct a before & after cafeteria plastic waste audit/survey. Collect data to inspire change.

1. ​Single-use PLASTIC SEARCH (easy).  Individual student activity for lunch period with lesson plan. 
2. CAFETERIA PLASTIC SURVEY (requires planning).  How to lead a waste audit activity  (for a class, Green Team, small group or club).

 

• B.Y.O.DISHWARE.  On one day, students bring their own dishware item (e.g., utensils, cups, water bottles)..

 

• PLAN for PLASTIC FREE LUNCH DAY(s) in April 2024 or on a different future date.

​

​Beyond the lunch period

• SHOW the movie MICROPLASTIC MADNESS. Teach others about plastic!  School administrators, food service staff, students & teachers can show Microplastic Madness for free from March - April and October - November!  
• Free now for all schools that lead a plastic free action!

• Plastic Free EDUCATION CAMPAIGN. Inform your school community about the plastic pollution problem and to persuade your community to reduce single-use plastics.​

1. Create banners, posters or flyers about single-use plastics to inform your community.
2. ​Encourage plastic-free home lunch and store bought lunch; make signs. 
3. Promote reusables with a "Bring Your Own" campaign for water bottles, utensils, napkins, and more​​

• Student-led CREATIVE MESSAGING CAMPAIGN.  Organize a school or classroom education or creative messaging (art, theater, media) campaign to teach others about plastic.

​​​

• GREEN TEAM PROJECT.  Green teams study single-use cafeteria plastics and make a plan to reduce them.

​

• PRESENT TO YOUR PTA.  Educate parents on the plastic pollution crisis and get them involved.

 

• COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP/PLASTIC LITTER AUDIT.  Conduct a community, neighborhood, beach, schoolyard, or workplace plastic waste survey or audit. (see our DIY DATA +ACTION Litter clean up Toolkit)​

 

• REUSABLES FUNDRAISER.  Hold a fundraiser to buy reusable utensils, cups/water bottles, and/or other dishware for your school, workplace or community organization.​

 

• COMMUNITY EDUCATION.  Create banners, posters, flyers, or podcasts about single-use plastics to inform your community.

​

• SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN.  Design social media content to increase community awareness about plastics.​

 

• ART FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE.  Create an art installation or puppets using single-use plastics as visual data to increase community awareness about plastics. 

​

• PERFORMANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE.  Create live theater, music, parade, or video to increase community awareness about plastics.

​

• LETTER TO EDITOR.  Write Letters to the Editor to describe PFLD actions and increase community awareness about plastics.

​​

• LETTER TO LEGISLATOR(S).  Write Letters to our Local, State or Federal Legislators to describe PFLD actions and to increase legislator awareness about plastics and plastic pollution.

Plastic Free Lunch Day was ​started by students in Cafeteria Culture's program at PS 15 in Brooklyn!