Food Waste: Orderit comes in to reduce it
Food Waste in Restaurants
One of the biggest challenges in the hospitality industry is food waste. Food waste refers to the materials we discard because they are not used. International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, celebrated on September 29th, is an important reminder that food waste is as global issue. We would like to discuss how Orderit can assist in reducing food waste in our restaurants.
We count food waste as those foods that are not used, either because they are labelled "ugly" and are binned as a result, or those that we do not use due to our lack of predictive ability over our supply needs. "Ugly" foods are perhaps the biggest challenge, as there is no real nutritional or health reason not to consume or use them in our food.
The fact that an ingredient might be bruised or have some other "flaw" does not mean it is not tasty or nutritious. Just like people are not perfect, foods are not either. There is nothing tasteless about a bruised tomato or a darker mushroom. We should familiarize ourselves with the less "beautiful" ingredients, as you will see below.
Food waste includes parts of products that are seldom used in recipes. Examples include: chicken feet, tomato hearts, and cucumber seeds, among many others. However, we are certain that with the correct proportions, creative recipes, and a lot of inspiration, we can create stellar recipes that will reduce this kind of food waste! If this is not something you would do, then purchasing a composter for your restaurant could be a lifesaver instead!
Statistics Showing the Severity of Food Waste in Greece
Research from 2015 shows that UK leading in food waste globally. Specifically, a total of 142 kilograms of available food per capita were thrown away, with seven kilograms per capita coming from the catering sector. These figure are devastating, especially considering how many people struggle with hunger or even basic weekly groceries. Therefore, action around food waste is more important than ever.
The Need to Reduce Food Waste for Society
Reducing food waste means that less food ends up in the bin, food that could be given to someone in need or used in other ways. Composting, for example, is vital to avoid throwing away food or products; or creating something else from our existing food is also an exemplary practice. In general, consciously trying this week to throw away less food than the previous one and the next week even less than this one is a game changer for our society.
Additionally, some organizations accept food or groceries you no longer want and distribute them to people in need. Any act that saves food or groceries from being thrown away contributes towards a sustainable and cyclical society.
The Need to Reduce Food Waste in Restaurants
Restaurants, too, are victims of food waste, as they throw away large amounts of food every day. Even the food that goes from the customer's plate to the trash is wasteful. To reduce this waste, you need to observe which dishes generate the most waste and adjust their portions accordingly. Huge portions are unnecessary, as the larger the portions - which may not be consumed - the greater the food waste.
It's also very likely that you're throwing away ingredients you no longer need. Discarding ingredients before even cooking them, because they may have spoiled over time, is extremely harmful to your business. After all, you paid for something, bought it, threw it away, and then (very likely) had to repurchase it because you needed it. Thus, over-ordering due to poor organization or insecurity is a mistake and eventually leads to financial damage.
Accurate estimations of order quantities and products are vital for your business, the environment, and society. Additionally, if you have surplus food quantities that never reach the plates for consumption, like households, you can give the leftover food to a charitable organization or association suitable for food distribution.
How Can We Use Orderit to Reduce Food Waste in Our Restaurants?
With Orderit, you can significantly reduce food waste in your space. How can this be achieved? Every day, you calculate and order the amount you need for that day. Of course, orders are sent on the day and time you request. Therefore, your calculation is exclusively for that day, without needing to pre-order.
With Orderit, you save time and money every day, as the ordering process is very quick and simple. You pick the products you want and the quantities you need and send them through from your mobile phone. The process is so easy that leaves you to wonder how you have been doing it in any other way until now. It saves you hours of writing notes, checking on your team and ringing your supplier for updates while reducing food waste.
Also, there is direct communication with your supplier through the app, so if you change your mind about something or believe you have ordered a larger or smaller quantity than you need, you can adjust your order accordingly before it ships. How can you be sure of this? Through the ability to track your order in real-time.
See how you save time and money with Orderit here.
