Reusable Lunch Tray Rollout at all NPS Schools

In January 2025, the Nutrition Services department transitioned from single-use compostable lunch trays to reusable, stainless steel lunch trays at each of the eight schools. The transition to metal lunch trays was determined to be cost effective, as well as aligning with the department's goals for promoting and increasing environmental sustainability and reducing waste. This initiative supports NPS' and the Town of Needham's sustainability and Climate Action Roadmap goals. 

                                            


The Nutrition Services department purchased the reusable trays from Revolusation, a California-based reusable products and service company. As many of the schools lack dishwashers equipped to wash the volume of trays used daily, the department has partnered with Re:Dish for providing warewashing services. The trays are picked up each day, washed and returned to the schools ready to be used the next day. 

Previously, students used single-use trays in school cafeterias which totaled about 663,437 school lunch trays in just one year! 
Switching to reusable trays supports one of NPS' major initiatives to eliminate single-use produces. A second sustainability change that Nutrition Services has taken was eliminating the sale of plastic water bottles in all school cafeterias.

                                           

Read more on Needham Local, a news service of the Needham Channel.