It's an interesting bit of information, but the title is what got me...  I was just talking with my daughter about using the trays at the dorm to sled down the hill from Bailey Hall...

I mean, what happens to the trays (short of donating them to frats for said sledding fun, which is climate-dependent).  Some trays are made of plastic and might be recycled.  Other trays are made of this material I'd be hard-pressed to characterize.  Not quite plastic, not quite wood, not quite fiber-glass.  What are they??  

I think they have a recycling conundrum on their hands now!  Maybe the art department can help.

Ever notice when a school wants to cut corners today it's aways to be GREEN or to fight obesity (some years ago it was to fight Communism or hunger).  Want to guess how much they're going to knock off tuitions, fees, or books with the savings?  Well, maybe the Dean does need a hotub.

Now that I think about it, how the heck do you waste food AND get obese?

Hey, College administrators, why not make a COMPLETE committment:

Eliminate dishes & utensils as well.  Just prepare the food in huge "Common Pots" into which all students reach with their hands to partake?  This would be a wonderful return to fostering unity and sharing!  Nothing like a return to Barbarism!

And refrigeration?  -TO HELL WITH IT!  Only serve what is killed or harvested that day, or load it up with spices to cover the taste & odor or rotting food!

Another half-assed publicity stunt by some of the most spineless & "politically correct" beings on earth -- University administrators!!!!!!!

I teach at a K-12 private school in Georgia.  In response to the drought last year, we, too, went "tray-free."  Trays are still available to those who need them (helpful for students with crutches, wheelchairs, etc. or small kindergarten hands), but students are encouraged to go tray-free.

I was skeptical at first, as were many students.  And many negative comments flew around for the first few months (though not nearly as negative as, say, those made by KAPPS, but still...).  Now, though, it's become the norm and I find that students still get plenty to eat with less garbage on their plates.  So -- good choice, colleges.  I ate too much in college and still wasted food, so I know it's possible!

my university was part of this so called study which was conducted in a manor that undermined any results that could have come from it could and were purely coincidental. i remember the food that day, i didn't waste any food that day because i looked at what they were serving and left without eating as i know several others did.

Last year, my college decided to do an experiment with getting rid of trays for a day. My opinion is that it was a complete failure. Since I go to a Big 10 school, the cafeteria area is obviously quite large. Thus, it is completely impossible to function without a tray because you get a plate of pasta here, and a bowl of fruit there, and a salad... oops, that's more than you can hold, even though it is a perfectly healthy meal. And you haven't even gotten your drink yet! All that this experiment did was increase the length of lines, add general confusion, cause a lot of spillages, and confuse a lot of those poor cafeteria workers. For example, a friend and I decided to go up and get dessert, and when we came back to our table, our plates of unfinished food had been whisked away (they probably thought that we were protesting or just being lazy). That was a dismal day. I think that cafeteria trays need to stay. They just make it easier on everyone.

I have a daughter at a very large ACC school. The cafeterias are huge and very busy. The meal plan is also rather expensive. This isn't only going to save the universities money on water but on food as well. Most of the students will just go to one station, get what they want from there and not eat anything else. So much for fruits or deserts probably even veggies. I guess this means that the Chik-fil-a and Dominos will be doing more business. Oh yeah, and the off campus delivery joints will prosper as well. Wonder how much the meal plans will be reduced? Oh look, I made a funny.

In our university canteen, we were encouraged to take smaller helpings in the first serve. There were food refills on every table, and we could take more helpings if we need.

I think this is a smart idea, I noticed that there was much less waste food on my plate.

It is unfortunate that not many schools or colleges adopt this plan.

Now the canteen where I eat does not have this system. And I regularly suffer the guilt of throwing away food on my tray. I am a slow eater, and my friends on the table get impatient if I linger too long.

I haven't been in college in 20 years, but I remember NEEDING a tray in the cafeteria! I'm all for not wasting food, but are these people aware of how much college-aged men really eat? The guys I dined with always had two plates of entrees, bowls of salads and fruits, at least 4 drinks - two milks, two sodas/waters, utensils, napkins, and bread/rolls. And after they ate it ALL, they went back for dessert. And often, where we sat was 50 yards away from where we got the food! How many trips are these kids gonna have to make?

Yeah, just give them a trough for Pete's sake! Save money on dishes and utensils. Just hose the kids off afterwards. Sheesh!

Quite frankly, what's a cafeteria without trays?  Trays and cafeterias go together like PB&J!  Also, and like you have all said, it's just not practical to travel from station to station to get what you need without one.  If other cafeterias are anything like my college was, even making a simple PB&J sandwich involves visiting a few stations.  So, why not keep the trays, but find another way to solve the issue at hand? Perhaps find a washer system that uses less water for ALL kitchen items, and make up the difference there.  Maybe explore biodegradable trays? Or even build a whole new tray that also acts as a plate, you know, with the dividers and such?  Then your killing two-birds with one stone.  Just my two cents in the issue :)  Thanks.