A $US2 million pilot programme is being held at five schools in San Antonio, Texas, to watch the content of children's trays in the cafeteria line.
Servings on their food trays will be photographed and so will their leftovers.
The goal of the programme is to obtain information on what types of food elementary students are eating.
The selected schools have high rates of childhood obesity and children living in poverty.
The technology will identify the food and capture the nutrient levels and calorie counts in the food that children eat, according to Roger Echon of the Social and Health Research Centre.
Only children who have the permission of their parents or guardians are allowed to participate.
If the effort is successful in San Antonio, the plan is to implement similar programmes in elementary schools nationwide.
