Consumers today want restaurants that use eco-friendly practices that benefit the environment. There are many ways that your restaurant can practice sustainable methods that improve the quality of your services. In this article, we will discuss food, reducing food waste, using recyclable products, and reducing energy consumption. Using biodegradable and compostable food containers is another important way to help the environment.

Look At The Food You Serve

Customers care about the quality of the food served and how it is raised. Add more vegetarian dishes to your menu that use organically raised produce. Offer dishes with meat and chicken that are raised without hormones and antibiotics. Support local farms that use sustainable methods to grow food and raise farm animals. Develop some new menu items that use seasonal fruits and vegetables for each season. You can also grow your own vegetables for your restaurant or foodservice business in an outdoor garden or greenhouse.

Use Eco-Friendly Disposable Plates, Utensils, and Containers for Takeout

According to the EPA, containers make up a large portion of the MSW, or municipal solid waste, amounting to more than 82 million tons. Convert to using containers and plates that can be used in compost piles or degrade, naturally enriching the soil. Many companies are now making sustainable containers and plates that can be added to compost piles for gardens and farming. These containers are sturdy and good for the earth. Compostable food containers can provide customers with an opportunity to start a compost pile for their garden or yard. Paper and metal straws are replacing plastic in many restaurants. Metal straws can be reused several times and washed.

Cut Down On Food Waste

One way to cut down on waste is to serve smaller portions. Try to find a size that satisfies customers but eliminates leftovers. Find ways to use leftovers in the kitchen to make soup stocks and sauces. Stocks and sauces can be strained after cooking. Try to manage orders using a system that eliminates over-ordering, leading to food waste. Set up a recycling system with proper recycling bins that send the waste to recycling processors. Some restaurants use waste to make fuel to be used in the community for energy to run vehicles and other equipment. This is a way to cut down on food waste and use it for another purpose. Leftover oil is used by some restaurants for heating fuel.

These are some easy ways to make your restaurant eco-friendly. These methods are serving smaller sustainable meals, recycling, using compostable food containers, serving more vegetarian entrees, and supporting local farms.