3 Ways to Control Food Waste in Restaurants (Especially Produce)

If you use your hard-earned money to buy fruits and vegetables for your business, and then you throw them away, you're trashing your cash. Food costs and waste margins must be kept in check to safeguard your profitability.

Here are three tips for reducing food waste in your restaurant, especially when it comes to produce.

1. Ditch Plastic Wrap for Sealing Lids

Plastic wrap is an ongoing cost, it's cumbersome to put on, and it is not always airtight. That can lead to frustration at best, and a lot of food spoilage at worst.

Think about using sealing lids (like these from Cambro) instead to keep produce and other items fresher. They're available for most sizes of food storage boxes.

2. Pay Attention to Optimal Storage Temperatures & Methodology

Everything from holding temperature to - placement in your refrigerators to- types of storage containers used can play a part in keeping food fresher for longer periods of time.

Focus on this area can allow you more time for food prep so you aren't making so many things on the fly. It can also help keep fruits and vegetables looking better, longer for a more attractive end-product for your customers. Check out this handy guide with recommendations broken down by fruit and veggie type and make sure you're storing your most important ingredients correctly.

3. Try Colander Inserts for Your Food Storage Containers

If you've already got good food storage containers, a colander insert like this one can help keep fruits and veggies fresher by draining moisture away as they're stored.

They can also be used for thawing meat, storing seafood on ice, etc. to help prevent contamination.

A Case Study: COGS Improved by 10%

By implementing these and other food-saving procedures, an organic restaurant called Green2Go was able to reduce their cost of goods sold by 10% and slash food waste. See more information here, or check out this video.

And if you'd like a consultation on how to achieve food waste improvement like this for your restaurant or food-service establishment, feel free to contact us.