CONSCIOUS PLATE: EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE AND PROMOTE COMPOSTING AT AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SCHOOL IN JUAZEIRO DO NORTE, CEARÁ

Abstract

Food waste is a socio-environmental, economic, and educational issue that also manifests in educational institutions, particularly in areas designated for school meals. This article presents and analyzes the "Prato Consciente" (Conscious Plate) project, an outreach intervention developed at Colégio Kids in Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará. The project aimed to encourage sustainable eating habits, reduce food waste, and introduce composting practices into daily school life. An exploratory and descriptive approach was adopted, characterized as applied research incorporating both qualitative and quantitative elements. Activities included assessing eating behaviors, conducting engaging educational talks, distributing booklets, installing a "waste-tracking" display board, disseminating visual materials, and holding a workshop on making mini-compost bins from PET bottles. Project records indicate the mobilization of the school community, the production of planned materials, participation by approximately 90% of the children in the workshop, and an estimated 32% reduction in food waste volume following the intervention. The results suggest that integrated educational strategies—tailored to children's language and combined with visual monitoring—can foster behavioral changes and strengthen environmental education. However, the lack of systematic weighing, the short monitoring period, and the fact that the study was conducted in a single school limit the generalizability of the findings. The study concludes that the project has the potential for replication and can contribute to ongoing initiatives regarding food sustainability and the circular economy within the school environment.