For three weeks the plate waste from the students at the Edith Bowen Laboratory School was collected. The students were divided into three units by grade; Unit I, kindergarten and first grade, Unit II, second and third grade; and Unit III, fourth through sixth grade. The total waste of the individual menu items in the three units was weighed to determine the total waste of each food item for the unit. In each unit individual food items from three control trays weighed together, and an average serving portion for the item in each of the three units was obtained. The study consisted of three phases, each lasting five consecutive school days with one control phase and two experimental phases. During the control phase (Phase 1) the dessert was placed on the front of the tray, in relation to the children and the children played after lunch. The dessert was placed on the back of the tray in relation to the children and playtime was after lunch in Phase 2. In Phase 3, the dessert was placed again on the back of the tray, but playtime was before lunch. The placement of food on the tray had no measurable affect on the amount of food wasted. When the children played before lunch there was a significant decrease in the amount of food wasted. The meals as served, consumed, and wasted were analyzed for 22 nutrients, and the nutrient density or Index of Nutritional Quality of the meals was also determined. The meals as served were examined to see if they met the nutrient requirements for a Type A lunch.