Food waste is a global issue. There are more than 1 billion people around the world who suffer from hunger and malnourishment due to lack of food. That's why reducing food waste is so important. Food waste has many impacts on the environment, including pollution and loss of resources. Food waste also costs us a lot of money. In fact, Americans throw away nearly 40% of their food every year according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). This can be solved by changing our mindset about what we consume and how we consume it.
What Causes Food Waste In Restaurants?
The problem of food waste has been going on for a very long time. It happens at home, restaurants, and retail stores. Food waste statistics are staggering, taking into account that there are around 931 million tonnes of it a year according to UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Did You Know-: According to UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in total, 61% of food wastage comes from households. 26% comes from food service and 13% from retail.
Understanding Where The Food Wastage Can Happen-
In what ways do restaurants cause large-scale food waste?
Unsold food is thrown out because it is not a menu item that day.
Food is wasted because it's left behind by an understaffed kitchen.
Food waste can happen when the chef doesn't plan for enough to use through the night.
The chef may order too much food and have to throw it out,
Chef makes too much of a dish so that they can have leftovers later.
Food waste happens when kitchens don't track how much they're using up and order more than necessary.
You’re throwing away food that you could eat, but you just don’t like it
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How To Reduce Food Waste In Restaurants?
Global food waste is an alarming problem. According to a study, up to 40-50% of food goes uneaten every day in America alone. These figures are especially concerning when you consider how many people there are in the world who go hungry and die each year because they can't find enough sustenance. That said, while it may feel daunting to be responsible for such numbers, you can make a difference with your restaurant.
Smart Shopping-
Knowing what dishes and how many of each are needed daily can help you to put together your shopping list. The first step is figuring out which items will be bought often, like fresh vegetables, bread or milk. Figuring out the rest requires some planning; for example calculating exactly when you need a big batch of pasta that isn't perishable or making sure there's always enough sugar in your pantry so it lasts as long as other groceries on hand.
Right Storage-
It is important to understand the needs of food ingredients and learn how to store them in order to make sure they remain fresh, edible, and last long. Some need dry air like herbs or spices; others need cold temperatures for their taste; some have specific storage conditions like those that should be kept away from sunlight or those that require freezing.
Food waste is just one of the many reasons why the planet is in trouble
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Tracking Wastage-
Understand the amount of waste and where it is coming from to know what steps you need to take in order for your business, or yourself, to reduce the amount. There are many small changes that could be implemented such as substitution and menu change. If you plan on reducing a large part of food wastage with just a few simple strategies like this, then so much better!
Stock Management-
The way you store your food items is key! You need to make sure that they aren't just placed randomly in a container. This will only lead to the loss of space and possibly wasted food. Use the storage well, so it's easier for yourself and others to find what you want when needed. Follow the 'First In, First Out' rule for the food items in order to ensure they don't go beyond the expiration date,
Plan For Excess And Leftovers-
There are days when despite planning, food can be excess. If the excess is in food items that have not yet been cooked and have just passed their expiration date, quick preparation meals using them before they expire are an option. For dishes you've cooked and would like to reheat and use again if it's possible without any trouble, that is the best option. Or pick a recipe that uses the same ingredients from leftovers and make up a new dish that you can serve the next day. Alternatively to both the above, you can donate the raw food items or the leftovers to charities that accept them.
Labelling Right-
Not all food items are always recognizable. Some, however, especially during quick service times can result in errors being made which will lead to the wrong dish needing to be thrown out and thus wasted resources. There is a way around this - labeling your containers with labels that are specific for them containing the right information such as ingredients lists.
Staff Training-
The staff in the kitchen and the serving staff need to be trained about handling food, reducing Food Waste, etc. This will help them become more efficient with their work as well as save money for your business.
Portion Control-
Many times with larger portions of meals, there is some food that gets leftover as the customers cannot eat it all. If the portion is enough for that one meal, then there will be no food wastage. So understanding portions is key. This is not just for the feature dish but also the side dishes that come with it.
Did You Know-: A Midwestern US restaurant offered half-sized portions for a two-month period along with its regular-sized portions. The unit sales (average monthly) went down by 41% i.e. 297 meals, while the average sales for the half-size portions went from 0 to 949 units per month. - "Package size, portion size, serving size... market size- The unconventional case for half-size servings." by Brian Wansink, 2012 and "Marketing of vice goods- A strategic analysis of the package size decision." by Sanjay Jain, 2012
Composting-
Waste is a big issue for restaurants, and composting is one way to help restaurants reduce Food Waste. Composting allows restaurants to create their own compost which can be used for the fruit and vegetable garden. Composting may seem like a daunting task at first, but with proper planning and knowledge, it's absolutely possible. If you don't have your own veggie garden, the compost can be sold off, making some more money for the business.
Recycle, Reuse-
Wherever possible, remember you need to recycle food and non-food items. This will ensure the food waste is reduced. Your restaurant can help the environment by recycling materials such as paper, cardboard, and other containers. Recycling these items in your bins is not only beneficial for your business - it also saves money on waste collection services! There is a lot of money and food waste that can be generated from disposable items such as paper, napkins, plastic cutlery, and dishware. So, use reusable items that can be used without any problem, are always welcome.
People also ask
Why is reducing food waste important?
The United States wastes 40% of the food produced each year. That amounts to about $218 billion that could have been used for feeding people. The thing is, though, not everyone who could be fed by the wasted food is saved. The hungry and malnourished live on the other side of this waste, in developing countries where the food shouldn't have been wasted in the first place. This puts a lot of pressure on these countries to find more sources of food production. With this being said, it's important to reduce your food waste so that you can help reduce hunger in developing countries.
How can we reduce food waste at home?
Did you know that one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption is never eaten? That's a lot of wasted food. With increased awareness around food waste, and technological advances in storage, transportation, and preparation, we're seeing more people taking responsibility for their own personal food waste. But how can we reduce our own household's levels of food waste? The answer might surprise you - look to your refrigerator!
— Restaurant Management & Growth Blog — reduce food waste