Addressing Food Waste Concerns in Your Facility

Food waste is a serious concern in many settings. In fact, food waste is generated through a wide variety of industries that many don’t even consider. Among these are nursing homes, hospitals, supermarkets, schools, hotels, prisons, corporate offices, catering halls, food courts, prisons, and restaurants. For many establishments that serve food, there is an average of one pound of waste generated per meal when considering pre-sale and post-sale waste. With so much waste generated in this way, it is a good idea to consider ways to reduce the amount of food waste generated while also looking for better ways to use the waste that is created.

Exploring Ways to Reduce Food Waste

To help with reducing the amount of food waste that is generated at a particular site, it is beneficial to conduct a waste audit. A waste audit will give you a better idea of how much waste you are generating. It will also allow you to examine the efficiency of your waste recovery methods. With the information available, you can better determine the best steps to take toward reducing the waste you generate.

Two key areas to examine when looking for ways to reduce waste is the pre-sale and post-sale step in the process. The prep stage often generates a significant amount of waste. To help reduce your waste at this stage, consider the following factors:

• The quantity and timing of the food that is ordered
• The production and handling practices currently in place
• Menu items

Sometimes, certain menu items or groups of items are primarily responsible for the majority of the waste generated. Eliminating these items or making certain menu modifications may help to reduce the amount of food waste you generate. Similarly, you may find that you are generating a lot of food waste after you sell the food. In this case, you will need to look for ways to reduce the amount of food wasted at this point in the process.

Reducing Food Waste

In addition to making modifications to your menu and production process, you can also help to reduce food waste by taking a few proactive steps. To help reduce waste from plates and order returns, for example, you may consider removing trays from the process so patrons cannot pile it up in large quantities. Another option is to simply control the size of the portions that you give to patrons or to modify your menu based on which items are most frequently being discarded.

You can also reduce food waste by finding alternative ways to use it. For example, some of the food waste generated during the pre-sale stage may be useful to local food shelters. You should also monitor the items you have in storage and should be sure to use them before they expire or give the items away to the needy.

Of course, with the help of Securr, you can more effectively and efficiently collect this food waste so it can be disposed of in the best possible manner. From food court receptacles to indoor and outdoor trash containers and recycling bins, we’ve got you covered!