Are the kids eating morning snack? Or no, and that is why it seems wasteful? Or, are they eating snack, and then pushing their food around the plate at lunch time?
I found that I had to cut back morning snack, because it seemed to affect the kids appetite at lunch. Now we just have a piece of fruit and a smaller serving of milk. Still gives them something to hold them over, and it gives us something to do midmorning as a way of changing activities.
The way you describe it, I would not be surprised if the kids aren't all that hungry, having just eaten breakfast. Perhaps just cut back to a drink and a couple of crackers, and see how it goes?