Abstract: The Montana nutrition education project was designed to implement a comprehensive nutrition education program in Montana elementary schools, utilizing school food service as an integral part of the program. The intention was to measure the effectiveness of nutrition education in developing positive attitudes about food habits and food wastes of pupils and determine methods for implementing a state-wide program. A nutrition education specialist developed four education programs correlated with onsite lunch programs in four representative elementary schools. Regional workshops were held during 1974 and 1975 to offer the services of the specialist and determine teacher and student attitudes on nutrition. A comprehensive menu system determined the kinds and amounts of foods discarded and food acceptability from each day's menu was determined. Increased acceptability and decreased waste can be attributed to a positive change in pupil's attitudes toward food through nutrition education and, also, to changes in menu planning and food preparation through school food manager/cook's inservice training.