4 Things You Can Do With Food Waste

I’m not going to start this blog post by boring you with the fact that there are millions of starving children all over the world.  I’m not even going to tell you that the reduction of food waste lowers the amount of methane emissions in landfills.  I’ll tell you what you want to read: reusing, reducing, and recycling kitchen food waste can save your restaurant money and boost your bottom line.

When you notice that food in your storage bins is about to go to waste or you’ve simply over ordered, the local food bank will be more than happy to accept your kind donation.  Packaged goods will go a long way to feed the homeless and hungry in your area.

When food composts, it promotes growth by creating an excellent soil.  This soil can be used in a garden of your own, or it can be sent to community gardens or recycling facilities.  Look around in your local area for those who are able to compost your food waste.  In many cases, all you have to do is set up a separate bin in your kitchen and leave it for the truck.

In some cities, it’s mandatory that oil for your deep fryer is recycled for biodiesel.  In the majority of places that oil is often left to go to waste.  There are, however, services available to take that fryer oil off of your hands – and some will even pay you for the privilege of taking your waste to their facilities.

When the food is not viable for human consumption, it might be usable for turning into animal feed.  Check your local area to see if there are any places which will pick up your food waste and turn it into feed.  Normally, there is no charge for picking up that food waste, and you’re helping out other people in industry. However, there are some food-to-animals recycling programs which don’t accept meat.

Every pound of food that gets hauled away by a shelter, a recycler, or an animal food producer is a pound of food that doesn’t get thrown into the landfills.  It’s a pound of food waste that you don’t have to pay to have the garbage men take away.   Not only that, but it’s a pound of food that is helping out your community and your environment.