Plastic Free Lunch Day
Congratulations to the winners of the plastic free lunch day artwork contest!
We are absolutely blown away by the 450+ submissions we received from D75 and K-8th grade students for our inaugural Plastic Free Lunch Day Artwork Contest! Each submission was reviewed based on the design's subject relevance, call-to-action/message, overall design, and artwork quality.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Kindergarten: Ayaan Mohamed Arshad - P.S. 131 Abigail Adams
1st Grade: Ansh Oberoi - P.S. 051
2nd Grade: Lily Bahadar - P.S. 121 Throop
3rd Grade: Claire Lee - P.S. 199 Jessie Isador Straus
4th Grade: Anjha Alighandhi - P.S. 031 Samuel F. Dupont
5th Grade: Bidhusmita Paul - P.S. 131 Abigail Adams
6th Grade: Katherine Gamaylo - New Voices School of Academic & Creative Arts
7th Grade: Basma Hajji - I.S. 281 Joseph B Cavallaro
8th Grade: Lamont McPhatter Jr. - J.H.S. 292 Margaret S. Douglas
D75: Rachaell Rodriquez-Abreu - P.S. Q233
Next PLastic free lunch day -
May 29
Plastic Free Lunch Day is an action day to reduce as much plastic use as possible during school lunch, a way to help protect our environment & our health. The Office of Food and Nutrition Services will be serving school lunches with minimal to no single use plastic. Students who bring lunch from home are encouraged to pack their food in a reusable container. Plastic Free Lunch Day repeats every three weeks!
Join school districts around the country and take climate action in the cafeteria!
Elementary Schools
Elementary schools kitchens automatically participate. Lunches will be served without plastic packaging, a monumental step towards reducing waste!
Middle & High Schools
Middle and high schools kitchens have different types of meal service than elementary schools, but they can still reduce plastic waste through staff and student engagement.
Key Video resources
Plastic Free Lunch Day: What and Why (3 mins and 11 seconds)
Students at The Madeleine Brennan School (K201) meet with a Sustainability Specialist from the NYCPS Office of Energy and Sustainability to learn why it's important to reduce plastic packaging in school cafeterias and what Plastic Free Lunch Day entails.
Green Team Talks: Plastic Free Lunch Day (1 minute and 5 seconds)
Join the students on the Green Team at The Scholars' Academy in Queens as they share about what Plastic Free Lunch Day is, why it matters, and what we can do to participate!
Tips for Plastic Free Lunch Day
Let your school know about Plastic Free Lunch Day
Ask your Principal for morning announcement time to talk about Plastic Free Lunch Day.
Go classroom to classroom to explain the campaign to other students.
Present about Plastic Free Lunch Day to your PA/PTA.
Have a social media challenge, with students/staff submitting photos and videos of their plastic reduction.
use the hashtag #plasticfreelunchday
Encourage everyone to take part
Encourage students & staff to bring their own bottles & safe reusable cutlery – a raffle or prize can be a good incentive!
Ask families to use reusable containers, paper bags, or aluminum foil instead of plastic baggies in home lunches.
Lead a "Take Only What You Need" campaign - dispense utensils, napkins, and other single-use items by request only instead of automatically serving with each meal.
Learn more about plastic waste
Designate a few students/staff each lunch period to perform a Plastic Waste Audit.
Host a screening of Cafeteria Culture’s Microplastic Madness!
Thanks to our partners Cafeteria Culture, the NYC Public Schools Office of Food & Nutrition Services, and the Urban School Food Alliance! Learn more at PlasticFreeLunch.org.