Final Words of Wisdom

The subject of Zero Waste comes full circle with these quick closing tips.

CONCLUSION

Final Words of Wisdom

IT MAY BE EASIER THAN YOU THINK

In many ways, the Zero Waste movement is in its infancy, with food-waste startups only beginning to tap such high-tech solutions as turning avocado pit waste into biodegradable straws and cutlery, “smart tags” that change color when milk goes bad, innovative software to help grocery stores order just the right amount of produce so they throw less away.

But it’s important to remember that reducing food waste is also achievable and beneficial right now, in a variety of ways.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these are some of the immediate and long-term benefits of reducing wasted food and packaging¹:

Save money by reducing overpurchasing and disposal costs
Reduce environmental impacts
Support efforts to eliminate hunger
Reduce health and odor concerns with food disposal
Support community waste-reduction efforts
Increase tax benefits by donating food

The Natural Resources Defense Council offers a number of specific tips for restaurants and other foodservice providers.²

Adapt menus. Reducing menu choices, using specials to flush inventory, repurposing food, and avoiding or redesigning buffets are all best practices for menu planning.

Provide flexible portions. Operators can address waste at the table by offering half-orders or other flexible portion options, reducing serving sizes (while potentially offering optional refills), requiring customers to opt in for chips and bread baskets, or allowing customers to choose their side dishes.

Use smaller batches and pans. Cooking to order or preparing smaller batches produces less waste. Scaling back production at the end of the day and using smaller serving containers in salad bars or buffets can also reduce the amount of uneaten food.

Encourage guests to take food home. Restaurants should urge diners to take leftovers with them, with as little packaging as possible, made of reusable or recyclable/compostable materials.

Learn about donation benefits. Food donors are protected from liability and receive enhanced tax deductions. Understanding these benefits can encourage donations, which also tends to boost morale among employees who don’t like throwing good food away.

Audit waste and engage staff. Waste audits have been shown to inspire both staff and management to identify opportunities to alter menu items, food preparation habits, purchasing practices, and cooking quantities. While occasional audits can be helpful, integrating daily auditing into standard kitchen practice means that attention to waste will be a continued part of the operation. Involving staff through contests or recognition programs can also be an effective way to reduce wasted food.

Offer low-waste catering. Most catering operations build in significant buffers to ensure that food won’t run out, leading to high levels of waste. Caterers should reexamine their buffers and narrow them if possible. In addition, they should offer clients a lower-waste option, acknowledging the risk that some items may run out.

Minimize food waste in K–12 schools (and college/universities). A wide range of strategies can reduce food waste in schools. These include cutting whole fruit into smaller pieces, providing salad bars, allowing students to choose side dishes, having longer lunch periods (so students can finish their food), and scheduling lunch after recess to prompt better appetites. Also, schools are increasingly using “share tables” that allow children to share untouched food they don’t intend to eat. Kids can also be taught to value their food more and waste less through home economics or cooking classes, classroom curriculum, educational materials in cafeterias, farm-to-school programs, school gardens, and composting programs.

^{_{Sources: [1] Environmental Protection Agency. [2] Natural Resources Defense Council, “Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food From Farm to Fork to Landfill” (2017).}}

About Nestlé Professional

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^{The information provided is based on a general industry overview, and is not specific to your business operation. Each operation is unique and business decisions should be made after consultation with appropriate experts.}