Findings

[Areena2908]

1. On non-school days, meals drop to zero, and the next school day returns to normal.
2. Most days are average while a few very high days pull the overall average up.
3. Early May was steady, but late May was more up-and-down, which makes planning harder (weekly swings were about 42 early in May vs about 50 later).
4. When we serve more meals, we also tend to discard more, and when we plan higher, leftovers increase—so over-planning adds waste.
5. When we serve only a few meals, the cost per meal jumps around a lot. When we serve many meals, the cost per meal is more steady.

6 In short: On calm weeks, don’t add much extra. Near month-end, check plans carefully. If fewer kids are expected, cook less. And look for special events or menu items that made some days much busier.