Changing How We Think About Food Waste: 4 Key Questions

1. What would it mean to reframe how we think about food waste?

In debating big issues, we often hear some variation of the phrase “it’s just semantics!”, which can be dismissive of the power of language as a carrier of ideas. This is a good place to start the conversation about reframing. Words and phrases are used to communicate meaning and value. As a result, our language and our values are interconnected – how we talk can have a real impact on our actions and attitudes. When something is described as "just semantics," the wording usually matters quite a lot.

One critical component in the fight against food waste is simply that we need to start calling it what it is: food! There are many classifications within the hierarchy of food waste (edible and inedible, avoidable and unavoidable, plate waste and production waste, etc.), but none of the categories truly refer to waste. In very real terms, they're all talking about food – a word that, across the world, comes with connotations of appreciation and value. 

If we really want to achieve the scale of change that is needed to tackle this tragic, global and urgent issue, we should start by ditching the word ‘waste’ when we talk about food. 

2. Can you explain the food waste hierarchy in simple terms?

Here’s another opportunity to point out why we need to reframe our thinking. The idea of a hierarchy suggests this issue can be looked at linearly, when – as with most complex sustainability issues – it is much more helpful to consider a systems thinking approach. This is brilliantly explained by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and its concept of a circular economy.

A circular economy is defined as “a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling and composting.” If we start viewing food through this lens, it's easier to see its potential for further use, rather than writing it off as 'waste'.

Image source: ‘Food and the circular economy – deep dive’, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

It's true that the ‘prevention versus treatment’ lens can be helpful in driving down the amount of food we waste. Much of today’s food waste issues can be addressed through proper planning and management of food production, procurement and storage. Your main objective should be to match supply with demand. 

When food does slip through (say, an unexpected rainy weekend meant your sales were down compared to predictions, and you have excess stock of short shelf-life items), consider how you can learn from these experiences to plan better next time. In the meantime, reuse, repurpose, redistribute! Is today’s surplus tomorrow’s special? Can you arrange a charitable collection through someone like City Harvest, or pop the items on Too Good to Go at a reduced rate? Make the most of food while it’s still edible – always!

Image source: ‘Brief on food waste in the European Union’, European Commission Joint Research Centre, 2020

Even if everything goes to plan, there will always be an element of ‘food waste’ or organic materials that can remain valuable if treated properly. Things like coffee grinds and eggshells can be sent to anaerobic digestion facilities, producing ‘green gas’ (the climate friendly cousin of natural gas). At the end of this process, what remains is called ‘digestate’. With appropriate treatment, digestate can be used as organic fertilisers and in other helpful applications – further solidifying the idea that there's no need to call it ‘waste’! (Compost is also an option at this point in the hierarchy, but anything beyond these two options is, honestly, unacceptable in today’s climate.)

3. What are some practical ways in which restaurants can tackle food waste in-house?

1. Be curious. Measure and track ‘wasted/surplus’ stock and get your team involved to understand why this happened.
2. Plan. Use tools to track and predict sales volumes and trends, allowing you to adjust your ordering and production as needed.
3. Manage. Treat all food with the respect it deserves. Manage your stock rotation, creating processes that will help you spot risks early enough to turn them into opportunities – like letting leftover produce decide tomorrow’s soup of the day, or selling day-old pastries for breakfast via redistribution platforms.
4. Be accountable. Set targets and follow through. It takes engagement from the whole team to tackle this, so be prepared to train, explain and motivate change across all parts of operations.

Here’s a breakdown of what this might look like in practice:

Back of House

• Pay attention to detail when prepping.
• Reuse and repurpose where possible, e.g., using offcuts to make stocks or soups.
• Menu design that optimises the use of ingredients (and menu redesign when the feedback suggests its necessary)
• Communicate with FOH when to push specials/items that have a shorter shelf life.

Front of House

• Speak to diners about what an appropriate amount of food might be, e.g., the recommended number of small plates per person.
• Encourage diners to take any leftovers home!
• Promote daily specials and menu items that you know have a shorter shelf life.
• Communicate to the back of house team about what you are seeing when you clear tables, letting them adjust portion sizes when needed.
• Proper segregation of ‘waste’!
• Regular communication.
• Accountability and support across the team.

4. How can restaurants work to reduce food waste across their supply chains?

Unfortunately, food is wasted throughout the entire supply chain and food system. By speaking to your suppliers to understand their biggest challenges and communicate yours, you may find some great collaborative solutions! Here's a few ideas:

• Sometimes a change in packaging can result in less waste; the same goes for changes in pack size.
• Adjusting your product specifications to allow for more tolerance can have a bigger impact than you might expect; for example, rather than limiting a supplier by specifying that chips must be between 7 and 9cm, could you push that to 6.5-9.5cm? Try speaking to your suppliers about what adjustment to the range would be most helpful.
• Explore the shelf life of some items to see if reformation might help with extending this where needed.
• The most important points are collaboration and communication. Allowing for regular feedback and updates about performance against reduction targets can inspire cooperation, working towards solutions that benefit everyone!

We'll be talking about food waste throughout March, with a focus on how restaurants and other F&B businesses can build their waste strategies around clever prevention tactics. Sign up to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for real-world stories and case studies, expert advice and practical tips.