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The hospitality industry is notorious for being wasteful. Yet, a growing number of restaurants are adopting zero-waste policies. These establishments are developing strategies on how to reduce waste in the kitchen, and so can yours.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), food wastage in the U.S. accounts for 30-40% of the food supply. That means growing and processing this food also led to water waste.
Before you commit to practicing the tips given in this article for reducing waste in the kitchen, let's take a moment to learn more about the zero-waste initiative in food services.
Key Takeaways:
- Environmental efficiency is a growing trend in the foodservice industry. Restaurants and food service establishments are becoming more self-sufficient and producing zero-waste policies for sustainability.
- There are items you can install in your kitchen that promote water conservation. These include pre-rinse valves that reduce the amount of water used to wash dishes and water-conserving fixtures like metering faucets in handwashing stations.
- Show your appreciation to those living and working around your establishment – your loyal customers. Donate food to charities, employees, and farmers as a sustainable way to remain eco-friendly and support your local community.
The Growing Trend of Zero-Waste in Food Services
In the United Kingdom, zero-waste restaurants are a growing trend as people become more aware of the impact of global warming and the need to be as sustainable as possible. These European restaurants develop strategies to reduce waste in the kitchen and their establishments as a whole.
In America, the zero-waste trend is also taking off. Since the recent supply chain disruption, people understand for the first time how essential it is to get the most of every commodity and eliminate waste.
While zero-waste can be a challenge for restaurants to maintain, you should consider becoming a limited-waste establishment and work your way into zero-waste.
7 Tips on How to Reduce Waste in the Kitchen
Reducing food and water waste is not only good for the environment. It can reduce operational costs that you can pass down to your loyal customers to boost revenue. It's a win-win-win for you, your customers, and Mother Nature.
What does it take to become a more resource-efficient foodservice kitchen? Your establishment can participate in the zero-waste initiative by following these tips regarding limiting food and water wastage.
1. Understand How Wastage Occurs
Awareness is the first step in reducing food and water wastage. Evaluate what areas create the most waste and eliminate them.
For example, observe what dishes you prepare that people are less likely to order from your menu and only offer a limited number of that meal. That way, you only buy the grocery items to fill that limited number.
The advantage of this is that people fear missing out on something great and will book early reservations to ensure they don't miss a limited menu item. It is known as Fear of Loss Marketing (or Fear of Missing Out Marketing).
Understanding waste also means knowing other factors that contribute to kitchen wastage. Those include:
- Improperly labeled food
- Not vacuum packing stored foods
- Incorrect food storage temperature
- Disregarding food handling training
- Neglecting to anticipate crowd sizes
2. Pre-Rinse Dishes Before Washing
Pre-rinsing dishes reduces the energy staff use to wash dishes. Installing a water-efficient pre-rinse valve in your dishwashing station will reduce the amount of water used to clean dishes by 7,000 gallons of water annually. Pair that with an energy-efficient dishwasher that uses less than five gallons a load and you significantly reduce water waste.
You can use ingredients more than once. The best way to eliminate waste is to find ways to use the food you prepared for one recipe and repurpose it for another.
For example, if you prepare baked potatoes that you don’t end up serving to customers, make baked potato soup with them the next day. You can even boil lemons that you use to make fresh-squeezed lemonade to make a base for a lemon basil sauce for fish dishes that same day.
4. Install Water-Conserving Fixtures
Installing metering faucets at handwashing stations or touchless faucets with programmable settings that allow you to control and monitor water usage can help you reduce waste. You can also install glass and pot fillers with metering options to conserve water.
5. Donate Your Food Waste
If you have more food in your kitchen than you can use before it goes bad, you can donate the food to charities. Another option is to allow your employees to take home the food you would otherwise throw away.
You can also donate your food waste to crop farmers for compost, or donate it to animal farmers so they can divert scraps into animal feed. Donating your food waste is a sustainable way to eliminate wastage.
6. Recycle Water Used for Cooking
Every little bit counts when developing sustainability practices for your foodservice kitchen. Reuse water that you use for cooking. You can use recycled water for boiling or defrosting. Even if all you save is one gallon at a time, it adds up.
7. Rotate Food Stocks
Restaurants waste half a pound of food for every meal staff prepares. One reason for this is that food stocks do not get properly rotated.
Older food gets pushed to the back of the walk-in refrigerator or pantry. Cooks use the newly purchased food first, which means they must throw away rotten food when it turns.
Set up a system in your foodservice kitchen so that everyone rotates the food according to that system. Train your kitchen staff to follow these systems at all times.
Sustainability is Only a Click Away
At Chicago Faucets, water conservation is only a click away. With our sustainability practices in manufacturing and water-efficient faucets, fixtures, and fittings, your kitchen is one step closer to being environmentally responsible.
We care about the earth and its natural resources. We know you do too. That is why we will continue to work with establishments like yours to make zero-waste a reality.
Learn more about our water-conservation products and policies by contacting us today to speak to one of our environmentally conscious associates.
