BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

Exploring the factors

that affect food wastage in
dining halls across India

Submitted By

Group 08
Vidushi Agarwal – 22PGP073
Mukund Kaushal – 22PGP084
Anugya Chouhan – 22PGP095
Riya Mondal – 22PGP106
Neeraj C – 22PGP118
Revant Agrawal – 22PGP318

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Abstract

The Issue of Food Wastage in dining halls is a major concern across India. With the growing
population, it is critical to address the issue and raise awareness. While there have been
studies around food wastage but no in-depth research on food waste has ever been done in
academic settings, especially for Indian Dining halls (mess). According to the Food Recovery
Network, college students produce over 20 million pounds of food waste each year (Goral,
2018). There is limited research being conducted that would develop effective strategies to
reduce food waste in dining halls and promote sustainable practices among students. This
paper aims to provide an overview of the problem of food wastage. It will explore the causes
of food, including perceived quality, portion size, satiety, time, attitude about food wastage,
and prior food habits. We used the data collected from our primary and secondary research to
run a regression analysis which helped us understand the correlation between our
Independent and Dependent variables. The findings from this study can be concluded that
only perceived quality and perceived menu coverage are significant to the model, which
suggests that higher perceived quality leads to more food taken by the consumer which
eventually contributes to higher wastage. Finally, the paper will provide recommendations on
how to reduce food wastage in dining halls and promote sustainable food practices, including
consideration of student preferences and serving seasonal and local food.

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Contents
Abstract.................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................4
Literature Review..................................................................................................................................5
Qualitative Research..............................................................................................................................5
Hypothesis.............................................................................................................................................6
Research Methodology..........................................................................................................................6
Sampling strategy..............................................................................................................................6
Data collection...................................................................................................................................6
Data collection Table.........................................................................................................................7
Descriptive Statistics..........................................................................................................................8
Regression Analysis...........................................................................................................................8
Results...................................................................................................................................................9
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................10
Recommendations...........................................................................................................................10
Limitations.......................................................................................................................................10
Further Scope of Research...............................................................................................................11
References...........................................................................................................................................11
Appendix 01 – Qualitative Research Questions...................................................................................12

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Introduction
Food wastage globally has become a matter of concern. Annually, developing nations
account for 1.3 billion tonnes of food wastage. To feed a growing global population, it is
more effective to reduce food losses than to expand food production due to the limited
quantity of natural resources. The importance of this issue is augmented by its implication on
the 2nd Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of “zero hunger” which can be achieved
through food waste minimization.

UNEP released the Food waste index 2021, which observed that an estimated 931
million tonnes of food were wasted globally in 2019, enough to circle the Earth seven times.
The amount of food wasted by households in India accounts to 67 million tonnes per year.
Also, per person wastage stands at a level of 50kg per year in India.

Contributing to this pertinent global issue are university campuses where food plate
wastage is apparent and unrestrained. Due to the cost and time constraints, our research will
be limited to the food plate wastage in the dining hall/mess of Indian Institute of Management
Raipur rather than considering all the universities in India.

Food waste from college cafeterias adds significantly to the overall food waste in India. The
dining hall food wastage has impacted extra cost on the mess owner which is then passed on
to the consumer, thus if food wastage could be saved this cost could also be saved and the
perceived quality of the food can be improved which would again help improve the overall
food wastage.

Research Gap

However, there is not much literature and data on the cause of food wastage in dining halls in
India as compared to food wastage research done in other countries, thus insufficient
awareness on the quantity of food wastage in India is a major cause of no effective actions
being taken to reduce food wastage.

Research Problem

1. Explore the factors that contribute to food plate wastage at university dining halls (or
mess) in India.
2. Deduce solutions to reduce the extent of food plate wastage in university dining halls
across India

Research Scope

The scope of the project extrapolates to create a cohesive and analytical guideline for
measures that can be adopted so as to reduce the wastage of food occurring in the current
scenario. Wastage of food in this context refers to the wastage at the consumer level thereby,
referring to students since they are the primary consumers at university dining halls. The
project will go over, and above listing causes of food wastage in campus dining halls to
understand the food waste perceptions and behaviours of students at dining halls. The
purpose of the study is hence, to investigate the causes behind food plate wastage at the
consumer level in campus dining halls and find a solution for the reduction of the same. The

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UN has established 17 sustainable development goals that they want us to accomplish by the
year 2030. Donating food you don't use, avoiding food waste, and providing high-quality
sustainability education are all objectives that contribute to minimizing food waste
(Sustainable Development, 2018). The 17 objectives are interconnected and work together to
provide a sustainable future for all. Avoiding water waste and utilizing clean energy are a
couple of the other objectives, both of which contribute to overall food waste. Every time we
throw away food, we are also wasting the water, energy, and labor that someone expended to
produce it.
Studies should be conducted and made widely known to make people realize that we waste
money every time we throw food in the trash, an estimated $161.6 billion annually (EPA,
2018).
Hence, this brings out the criticality to conduct exploratory research into the definite causes
of food wastage in dining halls across India and investigate relationships between them so
that appropriate solutions can be created.

The findings from this study can be of instrumental use for college mess providers,
public eateries, and event management companies. The additional benefit which one can
ascertain apart from preventing food wastage is that of cost minimisation. Hence, this project
aims to establish literature on an unexplored vertical of food wastage in university messes
that can have instrumental significance for decision-makers.

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Literature Review
According to the Food Recovery Network, college students produce over 20 million pounds
of food waste each year (Goral, 2018) Students need to understand that every time they throw
away food, they are also throwing away all the energy, water, and time used to prepare it.
Food waste occurs when food that is fit for human consumption is discarded. Or to put it
another way, food waste is the throwing away of edibles (Julian, 2010). The need of
distinguishing between preventable and unavoidable food waste is mentioned by
Papargyropoulou, Lozano, Steinberger, Wright, and Ujang (2014) as a crucial element in any
food waste prevention approach. Food waste can be divided into three categories: avoidable,
potentially avoidable, and unavoidable (Grandhi & Singh, 2016). Other approaches are more
economical and labor-efficient, making use of our food waste is a step in the right direction
towards sustainability. It is better to avoid food wastage via preventive measures than
appointing diagnostic measures such as composting etc. (Goral, 2018). No in-depth research
on food waste has ever been done in academic settings (Stockli, Dorn, & Liechti, 2018). For
instance, Deliberator, Batalha, Mozambani, Müller, and Fontenelle (2018) performed a
thorough systematic analysis of the management literature using five databases and
discovered few papers that addressed food waste in university dining halls. Nonetheless, their
data did demonstrate an evolution in the volume of articles over time and possible research
fields. Quantifying the waste produced is crucial in order to reduce food waste (Eriksson et
al., 2018). But precise information is necessary for any investigation into food waste in
service institutions (Eriksson et al., 2018). Certain research are primarily grounded in
qualitative findings (Hanks Wansink, & Just, 2014). Furthermore, there are differences in the
breadth and research techniques employed to assess food waste in earlier studies.

Classification of Variables basis literature reviewed helped us bucket our findings in three
categories
 Environmental Factors such as time available to eat, portion refilled, satiety and
emotion. These are on the spot decision makers and have an instantaneous impact on
food plate wastage.
o Portion size: the quantity of protein served by dining hall staff and the quantity
of other food served by diners. Williamson and Williamson (1942) observed
that there was a significant amount of food loss and waste; the consumer
wasted a sizable amount of food during food preparation and as plate waste.
o In the food service industry, plate waste—caused by high portion sizes and
unwanted sides—contributes significantly to food waste (NRDC 2012). In the
developed world, portion sizes are rising both inside and outside the house
(Wansink and Payne 2009, Wansink and van Ittersum 2007, Wansink and
Wansink 2010). Portion sizes started to rise in the 1970s, spiked in the 1980s,
and kept rising into the 1990s. The number of larger-sized items in
supermarkets has multiplied tenfold between 1970 and 2000, leading to an
increase in portion sizes. Over the past 20 years, the typical size of several
meals, such bagels and muffins, has dramatically expanded. These substantial
amounts promote waste and obesity (Young and Nestle 2002). According to
Kallbekken and Saelen (2013), cutting down on the size of hotel dishes
reduced food waste by 19.5%.
o Satiety: the level of satiety experienced by consumers prior to a meal and
Emotion is the stress level of the diner during the meal. From a research
conducted on South Korean school students, students who consumed a
balanced diet were less likely to waste food, as were those who were satisfied
with the perceived quality of the school's food service compared to those who
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 weren't, and those who understood the importance of nutrition education
produced significantly less food waste than those who didn't. Negative
correlations between plate waste rates and students' views regarding food
waste were found.
o Time: the window of opportunity for consumers to eat. Another crucial
element impacting eating choice and consequent food plate wastage pattern is
time available for meal consumption. According to Getlinger and colleagues'
(1996) research, when recess was scheduled before lunch, food waste in
American elementary schools decreased from 34.9 to 23.4%. This study
explains why there was less food waste since students had ample time to finish
their meals. Instructors noticed that playing outside after lunch made students
feel queasy and lightheaded, which may have contributed to the significant
food waste.

 Nurture Factorsare developed through years of experiences and ingrained cultural

learnings like attitude, household disposable income, family background and prior
food habits.
o Difference in household/ prior food habits : According to Watson and Meah,
consumers are strongly motivated by an underlying ethical incentive to act
morally and frugally, even appreciating thriftiness per se, but they rarely
publicly express environmental concerns. However, consumers frequently
state reasons that conflict with actions taken to reduce food waste. For
instance, consumers encounter the inconvenience associated with preventing
food waste and want to be a "good" food provider for the family, which may
result in cooking too much, tolerating pickiness, or discarding leftovers that
aren't wanted. The latter develops similarly in terms of the sacrifice made by
the family associated with using leftovers: it necessitates a particular family
culture of accepting and being accustomed to receiving leftovers. Also,
customers compromise between various objectives, especially when it comes
to worries about food safety versus worries about food waste. So, consumers
assess the need of avoiding waste for the environment versus personal and
immediate safety.
o Family background and disposable income : It has been established that food
losses in high- and low-income nations differ significantly; food losses in low-
income countries are smaller than those in high-income countries. In high-
income nations, between thirty and sixty percent of the food that is accessible
for consumption may be lost (Getlinger et al., 1996; Kantor et al., 1997; Ohio
University, 2010). The results of this study showed that students' decisions to
eat their free breakfast and lunch at the mess as well as to limit the amount of
food they felt they wasted on their plates were primarily impacted by their
ability to pay for food and the cost of food.
o Attitudes about food wastage due to ‘no additional cost of higher
consumption’, according to consumer behavior study in the food disposal
sector, one's attitude has a significant impact on whether or not they intend to
recycle food waste

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  Perceptual Factors which shape the perception include operational issues such as
menu preferences and food quality. Existing literature does not directly talk about
operational inefficiencies lending to food wastage, however as analyzed by Williams
and Walton (2011), hospital food waste has received more attention than food waste
in other foodservice settings due to the clinical condition of the patients, food and
menu issues (such as poor perceived quality, inappropriate portion sizes, and a limited
choice menu), service issues (such as difficulty accessing food and complex ordering
systems), and environmental factors.(such as inappropriate meal times, interruptions
etc). Being a public setting dealing with excessive food wastage and analyzing other
literature pertaining to college mess wastage quoting this research, we felt it is an
appropriate extrapolation.

Qualitative Research

Once after identifying the probable variables that can contribute to the food plate wastage,
individual interviews were conducted filter out the variables and limit the quantitative study
to more specific variables. The interview will also help in adding some variable which might
have been missed form the literature review. The interview was conducted for approximately
30-35 mins by concentrating on the questions mentioned in Appendix 01.

After conducting a total of 6 interviews, each one lasting for 30-35 mins, the independent
variables was narrowed down to the significant ones depending on the responses. Final
narrowed down independent variables are,

a. Quality of food perceived through vision.

b. Refilling of the plate (Attitude).
c. Menu preference.
d. Time available for meal consumption.

Hypothesis

Based on the identified variables, four Hypothesis were formulated.

Hypothesis 01 Higher the perceived quality of food, lower the level food wasted at the
dining hall.

Hypothesis 02 Lower time available for lunch consumption leads to a higher level of
food wastage.
Hypothesis 03 If the consumer refills the plate, higher will be the chance of food
wastage.

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 Hypothesis 04 A consumer’s positive perception of the lunch menu negatively influences
the extent of their perceived food wastage at dining hall.

Research Methodology
Sampling strategy

The study verified the extent of perceived food wastage by consumers in the dining hall
during lunch of Indian Institute of Management Raipur (IIM-R) as a representative of the
wide spectrum of dining halls (mess) of higher education institutions across the country.
Based on the focus area of the study comprising all consumers (students) in the dining hall of
Indian Institute of Management Raipur (IIM-R) , a sample frame of 660 students; total
strength of students consuming mess lunch. Out of the sampling frame, 150 students were
comprising our planned sample of 150 students in a survey. Out of which 70 students
responded. The sampling frame was selected based on “convenience sampling.” The mode of
the survey was online. The large number of consumers approached is justified because some
surveys maybe left unanswered.

Data collection

The study was conducted in the third semester of 2023 and the survey was floated and
kept open for a course of three days. Ethical clearance for the study was obtained from the
Hostel & Mess Committee of Indian Institute of Management Raipur. Data was collected in
one stage; by floating online survey questionnaires to consumers from the sampling frame to
gain their insights into their perceptions of the reasons behind their perceived food wastage
during lunchtime in the dining hall.

The questionnaire was divided into six broad themes that each addressed one aspect of the
study. This is described as follows.

1. Understanding the consumers (age, demographics, gender)

2. Investigating for perceived food quality (as measured by taste and appearance)
3. Investigating for time available for food consumption
4. Investigating for strength of consumer attitudes against food wastage
5. Investigating for adequacy of perceived mess menu during lunchtimes
6. Investigating for the extent of perceived food wastage

Questionnaire formulated used a “likert scale” to quantify each of the independent

variables and the dependent variable. Likert scales are a type of psychometric scale that is
frequently used in surveys to gauge participants' thoughts on affirmations or questions (Joshi,
Kale, Chandel, & Pal, 2015). Hence, the proxy of “perceived level of food wastage during
lunchtime” was measured as the dependent variable instead of actual metric data of food
wasted during lunchtime. The same pattern has been adopted for each independent variable as
well since each independent variable is non-metric in nature and hence, an ordinal scale can
be rendered valid. The measures used match the category validity and internal consistency
benchmarks.

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 Google Form Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iCtob88Z4eg0j7s6-Bh-
1ICg6d_zLb2hblBGxcNdL-I/edit

Data collection Table

The findings from the survey floated were collated in a data collection table, the below
inserted screenshot showcases findings on independent and dependent variables. The sheet is
linked with the image as well as added towards the end for easy access. The minimum and
maximum response scores were both 1 point and 5 points. This indicates that some
respondents gave both highly irrelevant and extremely relevant alternatives for all variables.
The median served as a proxy for central tendency in the descriptive analysis.

Response sheet link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10ATnJqnhdb9TCACOL5Byb2_QCH6R_RD1MKul
QkkPi-Q/edit?usp=sharing

Descriptive Statistics
Microsoft Excel was used in this to confirm the central and dispersion tendency
measurements of the sample, a descriptive analysis of the data was done. In this investigation,
we employed mean, median, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. Lunch time
perceived food waste was calculated from the average of the perceived percentage stated by
the respondents who took part in the research. The descriptive statistics for the above
collected data has been tabulated as follows:
Perceived Quality Time available for consumption Perceived Menu Representation Strength of Attitudes Level of perceived food wastage

Mean 3.185714286 Mean 3.828571429 Mean 2.957142857 Mean 3.757142857 Mean 1.7
Standard Error 0.089379868 Standard Error 0.120336706 Standard Error 0.11409145 Standard Error 0.144514199 Standard Error 0.11751393
Median 3 Median 4 Median 3 Median 4 Median 1
Mode 3 Mode 4 Mode 3 Mode 5 Mode 1
Standard Deviation 0.747805623 Standard Deviation 1.006809116 Standard Deviation 0.954557554 Standard Deviation 1.209092537 Standard Deviation 0.98319208
Sample Variance 0.559213251 Sample Variance 1.013664596 Sample Variance 0.911180124 Sample Variance 1.461904762 Sample Variance 0.966666667
Kurtosis 1.223209018 Kurtosis 0.111966129 Kurtosis -0.143049334 Kurtosis -0.405109461 Kurtosis 1.316676438
Skewness 0.323004426 Skewness -0.609245464 Skewness -0.118542984 Skewness -0.730136673 Skewness 1.395803798
Range 4 Range 4 Range 4 Range 4 Range 4
Minimum 1 Minimum 1 Minimum 1 Minimum 1 Minimum 1
Maximum 5 Maximum 5 Maximum 5 Maximum 5 Maximum 5
Sum 223 Sum 268 Sum 207 Sum 263 Sum 119
Count 70 Count 70 Count 70 Count 70 Count 70
Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.178307957 Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.24006516 Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.227606215 Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.288297939 Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.234433876

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 The variables of Perceived quality, Perceived menu representation, gave a median value
of 3, which showcased neutrality on grounds of these factors when it came to food wastage.
Regarding the availability of time for the meal the consumers’ responses obtained a median
value of 4, meaning that consumers usually had more than enough time to eat. Strength of
attitude got a median of 4 implying that many respondents felt strongly about the cause of
food wastage. In this study, variables such as portion refill, emotional level and satiety
showcased as pertinent variables in interview were proven insignificant through regression
analysis.

Regression Analysis

The model yields us a R square of 0.7436 suggesting that 74.36% of the variation in
perceived food wastage during lunch at dining halls (mess) can be explained by the model.
This is conclusive thereby suggesting the strength of the model. The adjusted R square is
0.7166 implying that 71.66% of the variation in the perceived food wastage is explained by
the independent variables without accounting for overlapping effects. The standard error
value of 1.02 suggests that the observed values fall at an average distance of 1.02 from the
regression line.

The p-value of each variable will tell us whether each explanatory variable is statistically
significant. The model was created with a confidence level of 95% (α=0.05), hence all the
individual p-values will be validated against an α value of 0.05. The p-value for the variables
“perceived quality” , “Perceived Menu Coverage” are 0.02 and 0.01 respectively which is
less than 0.05 and hence these variables can be considered as statistically significant.
However, the p-value for the variables “Time available for consumption” and “attitude” are
0.91 and 0.32 respectively which is greater than 0.05 and hence they are not statistically
significant and can be removed from the model because it doesn’t add any improvement to
the overall model.

The estimated regression equation for our model is as follows:

Level of Perceived Food plate wastage = (0.35*Perceived quality) + (0.28* Perceived
Menu Coverage)

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Results
Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that only perceived quality and
perceived menu coverage are significant to the model and hence explain the variation in the
dependent variable which is the level of perceived food wastage across dining halls in India
during lunchtime. We can now wind back to our hypothesis and conclude for the same since
the test has been concluded.

Hypothesis 1:
“Higher the perceived quality (appearance and taste) of food, lower the levels of
perceived food wastage at dining halls (mess).” - This hypothesis can be rejected since the
coefficient of this variable is positive suggesting a direct relationship between perceived
quality of food and level of perceived food wasted. This logic behind this phenomenon can be
higher the perceived quality of the food, the consumers end up taking more food in their plate
and this might be leading to the wastage of food.

Hypothesis 2:
“Lower time available for lunch consumption leads to a higher level of perceived food
wastage at dining halls (mess)” - This hypothesis can be rejected since the model renders the
variable insignificant thereby, suggesting no relationship between the time available for lunch
consumption and the perceived level of food wastage.

Hypothesis 3:
If the consumer refills the plate, the food plate wastage will increase- This hypothesis can
be rejected since the model renders the variable insignificant thereby, suggesting no
relationship between the strength of attitudes against food wastage and the perceived level of
food wastage.

Hypothesis 4:
A consumer’s positive perception of the lunch menu negatively influences the extent of
their perceived food wastage at dining halls (mess) - This hypothesis can be rejected since the
coefficient of this variable is positive suggesting a direct relationship between perceived
quality of food and level of perceived food wasted.

All the experimental hypotheses tested in the study have been rejected.

Conclusion
Recommendations

Consideration of student preferences is one of the key elements of menu planning. If the meal
is prepared to suit their tastes and preferences, students are more likely to eat it. To properly

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plan the menu, it is imperative to get student opinion on their favourite meals. This may aid
in lowering the amount of food lost due to unappealing or strange foods.

By serving seasonal and local food, you may reduce food waste and encourage sustainable
behaviour. Seasonal food is more inexpensive, fresher, and healthier than out-of-season
vegetables. Local food also has a lesser carbon footprint because it doesn't require long-
distance transportation. Hence, incorporating seasonal and local foods into the menu can help
reduce food waste and promote sustainable practises.

A key component of meal planning is keeping track of food consumption. It can be useful to
keep track of how much food is eaten and wasted in order to see trends and plan menus with
knowledge. It can also be useful in determining the most and least popular items so that the
menu can be adjusted accordingly. It is feasible to decrease the amount of food wasted and
promote sustainable habits by keeping track of food consumption.

Limitations

The sample size is one of the main restrictions on the research on food waste in the dining
hall at IIM Raipur. Because of the small sample size we employed, the results cannot be
generalised widely. The results might not be generalizable to other educational institutions,
dining halls, or messes, and the sample size might not be typical of the total community.

The lack of data made it difficult to conduct studies on food waste in IIM Raipur's dining
hall. There may be gaps in the research since the data is challenging to collect. This restricts
the study's scope and the findings that can be made.

Another limitation of the study on food waste in the dining hall at IIM Raipur is self-report
bias. A social desirability bias or other variables may have prevented participants from giving
honest or accurate answers. This might have resulted in incorrect conclusions and impacted
the study's validity.

Further Scope of Research

The scope of this research can be expanded to other dining halls of the institutes present in
different parts of the country. The different environment and regional factors which includes
the local delicacies and the style of making the food might contribute more to the variables on
which the research would depend, and that research might give out different results.

The identification of factors that contribute to food waste in Indian college dining halls is one
area of research that requires more attention. Food wastage can be caused by a variety of
elements, including the quantity and quality of the food served, student preferences, and the
way it is served. To determine the causes of food waste, researchers can perform surveys and
interviews with students and dining hall employees. The development of solutions and
policies to prevent food waste in college dining halls can be assisted by an understanding of
these variables.

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The environmental effects of food waste in Indian college dining halls are one area of
research that requires more focus. Food waste causes the waste of precious resources as well
as greenhouse gas emissions, which can have a serious negative effect on the environment.
To comprehend the effects of food waste in college dining halls on the environment,
researchers can carry out life cycle analyses. This can aid in the creation of plans to lessen the
environmental effects of food waste.

Research is also required to determine the efficacy of various initiatives to lower food waste
in Indian college dining halls. A number of strategies have been suggested to decrease food
waste in dining halls, including menu planning, portion management, composting, and food
donation programmes. On the efficiency of these interventions in the Indian setting, there is,
however, a dearth of study. To assess how well these strategies reduce food waste in college
dining halls, researchers can conduct randomised controlled trials.

The attitudes and actions of students about food waste in Indian college dining halls also need
to be studied. Students contribute significantly to food waste, and the amount of food wasted
can be influenced by their attitudes and behaviours towards food. To further understand
students' opinions and practises concerning food waste, researchers can conduct surveys and
focus groups. This can aid in creating educational initiatives and campaigns to encourage
students' appropriate eating habits.

References

Al-Domi, H., Al-Rawajfe, H., Aboyousif, F., Yaghi, S., Mashal, R., & Fakhoury, J. (2011).
Determining and Addressing Food Plate Waste in a Group of Students at the University of Jordan.
Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 10(9), 871–878. doi: 10.3923/ pjn.2011.871.878

Chowdhuri JP, Food Security and Food Wastage in India and Around the World, 2020
Kaur, P., Dhir, A., Talwar, S. and Alrasheedy, M. (2021), "Systematic literature review of
food waste in educational institutions: setting the research agenda", International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 33 No. 4, pp. 1160-1193

Alias, A. R., Mohd Mokhlis, N. A., & Zainun, N. Y. (2017). Baseline for food waste generation – A
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KL Thyberg, DJ Tonjes - Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2016 - Elsevier

Mirosa, M., Munro, H., Mangan-Walker, E., & Pearson, D. (2016). Reducing waste of food left on
plates. British Food Journal, 118(9), 2326–2343. doi: 10.1108/BFJ-12-2015-0460

Wansink, B., and K. van Ittersum. 2007. Portion size me: Downsizing our consumption norms.
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https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/knowledge-centre/resources/unep-food-waste-index-report

https://www.scielo.br/j/rae/a/RDYrRkHfXXvq6NLNhTgNrsG/?format=pdf&lang=en

https://nature.berkeley.edu/classes/es196/projects/2010final/LamY_2010.pdf

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1253&context=envstudtheses

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https://aces.illinois.edu/news/smaller-plates-help-reduce-food-waste-campus-dining-halls

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Appendix 01 – Qualitative Research Questions.
1. Please tell us about yourself (Name, Age, Where are they from)
2. Have you stayed in a hostel before? How was your mess experience?
3. What was your perception or expectation from the mess food initially?
4. How often do you eat lunch at a mess (times per week)?
5. (If ex-hosteler, mess consumer) Do you feel food here is better than food at the
previous place?
6. Were the plates of similar sizes as here?
7. if you couldn’t eat at that mess did you have the liberty to order?
8. How often do you refill?
9. Has it ever happened that you refilled and ended up throwing away a mess lunch?
10. How frequently do you find yourself having to waste food?
11. When was the last time you had to waste food during lunch time in the mess?
12. Why? What were the reasons for that?
13. Besides the reasons you just mentioned, what other factors will prompt you to
waste food?
14. Any other factors which you feel are important for preventing food wastage
during lunch time in hostel mess.

Portion size
1. How many servings do you take in during lunch? What factors is your portion size
dependent upon? (Taste, time availability, appetite)
2. How much quantity do you take in a serving?
3. How many servings do you take on average at lunch time?
4. How many do you refill your plate?
5. How frequently do you feel the urge to refill your plate while eating?
6. Has it ever happened that you refilled and ended up throwing away? If so, how
often?

Satiety
1. Do your lunch consumption patterns change on weekends when there is less
crowd?
2. Do you feel you would end up eating more/ wasting less if there are more specific
dishes from your resident state?

Time
1. How much time do you take to eat your lunch (in minutes)?
2. What time do you plan your lunch visit?

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 3. Is waiting in line a contributing factor to adding different quantities of food?

Emotion
1. What factors contribute towards eating/ skipping lunch?
2. Do you feel your state taste gets appropriately represented in the mess menu?

Perceived quality
What is your opinion about the food perceived quality of mess in terms of Appearance,
texture, temperature ?

Menu Composition
1. What reasons can you attribute to throwing away food?

Tracing the wastage pattern of lunch at mess:

2. How often do you end up throwing mess food?
3. Figuratively what item do you end up discarding most often?(starter/main course/
dessert)

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