The study also found that 56% believe portions are too big and the same amount of people are unhappy with the way food waste is collected.
Chief operating officer Mike Haslin, said: “This study shows, for the first time, the true picture of the challenge the education sector faces in tackling food waste.
“TUCO members are already setting the agenda with practical solutions which we hope the rest of the industry will learn from and which will help drive sustainability policy on campuses everywhere.”
In a student survey 52% admitted to not eating all the food they take whilst 57% believe that staff sufficiently engage with students about the food served.
The report details that 123,000 tonnes of food waste are being generated every year in the sector a cost of £250 million per year.