ICAT Playdate — Sustainable Art Painting: Transforming Food Waste into Vibrant Watercolors

Each day in the United States, nearly $5 million worth of food goes uneaten in K–12 school cafeterias. Fruits and vegetables alone account for 19% of this waste, with students discarding more than half of these items from their plates.

What if this problem could be reimagined as a platform for creativity and learning?

Our interdisciplinary team developed an innovative process and set of tools that transform discarded fruits and vegetables into vibrant watercolor pigments. Using a co-design approach, we collaborated with students through a series of hands-on workshops where they explored pigment-making techniques, reflected on the value of food waste, and contributed feedback to refine the process. Through their active participation, students helped raise awareness and promote sustainable behaviors, showing how art-based learning can inspire dialogue around food waste and motivate school communities to engage in circular food practices.