What is food waste management?

This is why effective and efficient food waste management is necessary for any business in the hospitality industry, which will help to reduce costs as well as the negative impact on the environment.

Managing your food waste is not that difficult, and everyone on the staff should be aware of the consequences and practices to minimize waste, from the Head Chef to the junior apprentice in his chef shirt and skull caps, who is perhaps responsible for the task of garbage disposal. It is only when everyone is in tune with one set process that you will be able to minimize waste and reduce costs in your establishment.

Here are a few ways that you can reduce food waste:

• Waste audits – A regular waste audit is a necessity so that you are aware of how much food gets wasted every day and can take measures to minimize this. This helps you place a monetary figure on your waste.
• Maintain a waste journal – Maintaining a waste journal is one of the best ways to keep track of your trash, and how much it is costing you. This should be carried out by the staff on a daily basis, so that you have an exact record of what is being thrown out, and then you can proceed to check on why.
• No over-prepping – One of the main causes of food waste is over prepping. Your head chef should be able to forecast what the demand will be and prep accordingly, rather than over prepping and then throwing it all away when not used.
• Reduce spoilage – Spoilage of stored items can be minimized if the First-In-First-Out method is used, rather than using products in an ad hoc manner. In this case, storage should be carried out in a methodical manner, arranging the newly received items in the back.
• Proper storage of food – Improperly storing food items can result in them getting spoiled or contaminated and hence becoming unusable. Follow strict procedures regarding storage of food according to health and safety guidelines.
• Provide training – All staff should be given proper training with regard to food waste and management, storage of food etc so that they are all aware of the costs involved.