According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), there is an estimated amount of one-third of the food produced for human consumption, going as food waste each year. This roughly amounts to 1.3 billion tonnes of food being wasted, with hotels being one of the largest producers of food waste. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that such establishments work with a facility planning and management company that is specialized in food waste management for hotels and restaurants. We shall hereby discuss the prerequisites of an effective food waste management plan.
# Identify the Types of Waste
Firstly, it is important to know the common types of food waste that could occur before getting into ways to deal with food waste of hotels etc.
- Plate Waste
The food left over by customers on the plate for some reason or other falls into this category of food waste. Although some leftovers are inevitable, wastage of food in large quantities becomes a major issue when it becomes a regular affair.
- Peelings and Trimmings
This involves over-peeling of food items when they can be prepared with the skin itself, or failure to use unusable peels. This can be dealt by training the staff on a regular basis.
- Expired or Spoiled Food
Sometimes storage mishaps or failure to abide by expiry dates, results in major food waste. Planning your stocks could help in averting food waste of this kind.
- Kitchen Error
This kind of food waste occurs due to human errors, oversight, and sometimes carelessness. Such food waste can be checked by regular and strict monitoring of the preparation of food in the kitchen.
# Ways to Reduce food Waste
- Stock Planning
Regulate the quantity of food items you buy and stock them well to get the best out of them. Always avoid over-buying, store raw food materials at the required temperature. Review stock planning and management procedures on a regular stipulated time basis.
- Menu Planning
Plan your hotel menu wisely depending upon the customer’s tastes, preferences and demands. Keep the menu has to be rendered simple so as to reduce food waste. Make sure to get feedback from customers about portion size served and what they expect from each item on the menu.
- Training & Monitoring
Although hotel employees hold hoteliers degrees, it is important to provide regular education and training to their staff regularly. Refresher course is one way to upskill employees in different areas of hotel functioning which will include food waste management.
- Monitoring
Always keep tabs on food waste through quarterly internal assessments and audits with active participation of hotel staff and contractors. Also, measure the nature and extent of food waste and recommend ways to reduce it.
- Donation
Always make it a habit to donate surplus food to charitable organizations, or send them for recycling. It makes more sense than food going into waste bins.
Need a Food Waste Management Consultant !
It is best for hoteliers to manage the issue of food waste seriously and work with an experienced food waste management consultant to minimize waste. In case you need professional help to manage food waste in your hotel, do not hesitate to contact us, the waste management consultants at KILOWA DESIGNS. We can help you come up with customized waste depending upon the dynamics of your business.
