Student’s Voice is DigiTally’s innovative solution designed to tackle one of the biggest hidden challenges in school dining: plate waste.
By capturing real time feedback directly from students, schools gain the insights they need to understand what’s being eaten, what’s wasted, and why.
Hear Michelle and Kevin from Woodhouse Grove School on the ISBA Podcast, alongside Patrick McDermott (CEO, DigiTally), sharing how the Food Waste Challenge delivered fast, measurable results for schools.
Watch this clip to see how tweaks to “untouchables” like pasta, soup and jacket potatoes delivered the biggest wins.
In 2025, ten UK schools took part in DigiTally’s Food Waste Challenge, using Student’s Voice to understand exactly why food was being left behind.
The results were powerful — from reduced waste and improved satisfaction to smarter, data-led decisions in school kitchens.
See how schools are reducing food waste, improving student satisfaction and saving money using real-time feedback.
Berkhamsted School reduced daily food waste by over 80%, cutting catering waste costs from £120 to £23 using DigiTally’s Students’ Voice platform.
Maryland Primary School became the top performing school in the Food Waste Challenge, achieving the lowest waste rate of just 13% and significantly reducing waste costs per meal.
Woodhouse Grove achieved a 50% reduction in food waste and generated over £10,000 in savings by using weekly student feedback to improve menu performance and portion control.
Oxford International College Brighton ranked #1 for meal satisfaction and reduced plate waste by 8.2kg in just 4 weeks by using Students’ Voice (in partnership with Chapter One).
With growing focus on sustainability and wellbeing, schools are under pressure to serve meals that students enjoy while reducing waste.
Student’s Voice makes this possible by turning every plate into real-time insight.
Using a simple digital app, Student’s Voice collects feedback from students in real time. After each meal, schools can see:
Which dishes are most and least enjoyed
How much food is being wasted (by dish and by day)
The reasons behind the waste — from portion size to queue times
This goes far beyond basic measurement. It gives schools the why behind the numbers, turning data into action.
When schools put Student’s Voice into practice, the results speak for themselves:
Some schools saw plate waste fall by 25% within weeks.
In one case, waste dropped from 60g to 44g per meal in just four weeks.
Data revealed that portion sizes and queue times were as influential as taste in driving waste.
These insights don’t just measure food waste — they unlock solutions to reduce it.
Be part of the movement to create healthier, more sustainable school dining.
© 2026 DigiTally
