Prevention tips and resources for commercial kitchens and restaurants
As you would expect, wasted food means wasted money. Every year, the restaurant industry spends billions of dollars in food waste costs, estimated at 28-35% of restaurant sales. A Food Waste Reduction Alliance study found that 84.3% of unused food in restaurants ends up as waste, when it could have easily been prevented.
These helpful resources below can reduce the amount of food wasted at your location!
Check out CalRecycle’s food waste reduction page for restaurants for helpful tips and general resources.
Analyze your food waste
A food waste assessment will identify what is actually being thrown away. By getting to know what you throw away, you can better understand the areas of excess and address them each individually. This guide from the EPA provides detailed instructions for conducting a comprehensive food waste assessment
Preparation and storage
(Suggestions from the Safe Surplus Toolkit)
Reduce batch sizes by preparing meals ahead of time and storing them for future use
Use cook-to-order instead of bulk-cooking all day or toward the end of the day
Repurpose leftover kitchen food following food safety guidelines like reusing day-old bread for croutons or leftover vegetables as a pizza topping
Train staff on knife skills to make more efficient knife cuts to prevent waste
Use as much of the food as possible
Cook up carrot greens and don’t peel cucumbers or potatoes
Reconstitute stalky vegetables that have wilted by immersing them in warm water (100 ̊F) for 15 minutes
Freeze surplus and fresh fruits and veggies near the end of peak freshness for later use instead of throwing them away
Marinate meats to extend their shelf life for a few more days
Finish preparation at the line. Do not finish the food item until it’s ready to go on the line so you can use leftover ingredients more easily in different recipes later
Refresh staff on storage techniques for different foods (e.g., don’t store tomatoes and lettuce in the same container or near each other)
Use see-through storage containers to allow staff to see what is available and to keep an eye on freshness
Eliminate garnishes that typically don’t get eaten
Purchasing
(Suggestions from the Safe Surplus Toolkit)
Use reusable bottles instead of single-use condiment packets
Adjust menus to reduce frequently uneaten or wasted items
Buy bruised or odd-shaped/sized produce at a discount
Ask for your suppliers’ policies for food waste. Simply inquiring will show suppliers it’s a priority
Reach out to other businesses to exchange ideas for source reduction methods
Do regular inventory checks or increase their frequency to reduce spoilage
Buy local foods to minimize environmental impacts through reduced storage time and transportation
Serving
(Suggestions from the Safe Surplus Toolkit)
If you’re a buffet restaurant, go trayless! This will limit customers to take only what can fit on a plate and to make a conscious decision to go back for more
Consider a “pay-per-item” system instead of “all-you-can-eat" system
Use smaller plates, bowls, and serving scoops to discourage over-plating
Offer different meal sizes and portions. Don’t limit small portions to just children
Don’t automatically put bread or chips and salsa on the table. First, ask them if they would like these items
Ask if a customer wants a side item, instead of automatically providing sides
Engaging with customers
Build brand image and customer loyalty through food waste prevention efforts
Encourage customers to take home their leftover food