How to Prevent Restaurant Food Waste

Supplies & Inventory Management

Food waste is a necessary evil of owning a restaurant, but that “evil” shouldn’t exceed what’s necessary! It’s a problem on multiple levels. Firstly, it’s a waste of money, an especially pressing concern for restaurants striving to optimize cash flow and reduce operational costs.

Estimates say the Canadian food industry spends $7 billion on food that ultimately goes to waste. And, of course, food waste has become a societal ill with bigger implications, such as environmental strain (gas emissions, rotting food in landfills) and food insecurity, among others. 

So, how do you prevent food waste from getting out of hand? With a plan. Here are some strategies to keep food waste in its place. 

Conduct a Waste Audit

The key to waste reduction is regular waste audits. With these audits, you categorize and weigh discarded food items, whether they’re produce, meat, plastics, or even paper goods, to identify your primary sources of waste. Most importantly, you’ll use these insights to improve (more on this later). 

Optimize Inventory Management

Once you’ve identified your key waste contributors, it’s time to trim the fat. To keep your kitchen usage lean, you’ll need to optimize your inventory management protocols. 

To begin, real-time inventory tracking should be used to monitor ingredient usage. Several software options and apps can act as surveillance in this regard (refer to our previous chapter). 

Next, use historical sales data and demand forecasting to adjust your purchasing and prevent over-ordering. Make sure to include seasonal trends and special events. 

Now, apply some of those frameworks we discussed a few sections ago. Implement “First-In, First-Out” (FIFO) to label ingredients with dates and prioritize older stock for immediate use so it doesn’t spoil. 

Ensure Sound Portion Control

You must establish new procedures to effectively manage and maintain portion control. Standardize recipes with well-defined portion sizes and use measuring tools for consistency. 

Also, pay attention to customer feedback and behaviour. Based on their patterns and preferences, adjust your portion sizes so you’re only providing customers with what they’ll consume. 

Provide kitchen staff with visual portion guides to ensure precision when plating meals, helping them add only the necessary amounts with ease and consistency.

Incorporate Waste Tracking Systems

Record the food waste that’s occurring. This could be as simple as keeping a daily waste log or using a digital tracker to record details like discarded food, food types, waste volume, and even why it was thrown out. 

Take some time to review your waste-tracking data now and then. It’s a great way to spot patterns and find opportunities to cut down on waste! 

Menu Design and Specials

Once you’ve collected the data, you may choose to redesign your menu and tailor it to offer dishes that reuse common ingredients to reduce spoilage. Also, consider removing menu items that don’t sell well to avoid restocking ingredients that could go to waste. Don’t forget about specials or promotions—those dishes can help use up ingredients approaching their expiration. 

Train Staff and Engage With Them

Remember that waste reduction boils down to habits. That means training your crew to adopt specific practices that prevent unnecessary food waste. 

Teach them about the impact of food waste, whether financial, environmental, or social. Next, train staff on proper storage, portion control measures, and preparation methods. You can even include incentives or competitions that encourage food waste reduction.

Composting and Recycling Programs

Create your waste management programs—you can establish composting systems for organic waste, such as vegetable and fruit scraps, and recycling stations labelled for glass, plastic, and cardboard.   

Consider collaborating with community partners, like a local composting facility, to arrange regular pickups for your waste. 

Donations and Community Collaboration

Your waste reduction efforts can be an opportunity to do good in your community. Partner with local food banks or shelters to donate surplus ingredients and supplies. Make sure the food is safe and adheres to the highest quality standards.