Get Efficient: 5 Ideas to Combat Food Waste

Observe Stop Food Waste Day with These Simple Strategies

On April 30^th, 2025, companies across the globe are recognizing Stop Food Waste Day — and consumers are paying attention. According to a recent study by Nestle Professional, consumers care about food waste: 77% of diners prefer having an option for portion sizes so that they can help reduce their personal food waste. Plus, 81% of diners view food donation programs as important, showing additional consideration for food waste reduction.

If you want to meet consumer’s expectations and stand out as an environmentally conscious operation, focusing on food waste reduction is an excellent starting point. These five strategies can help you reduce food waste in your operation, on Stop Food Waste Day and all year round.

1. Upcycle Your Leftovers

It’s rare to end a service, or even food prep, without leftovers. But leftovers don’t have to stay left behind. There are many ways to use remaining ingredients and prepped items in new dishes:

• Use leftover meat as flatbread and pizza toppings.
• Put leftover cheeses, nuts, and seeds to work as salad toppings.
• Add leftover greens like radish or carrot tops that would otherwise go unused to soups like Minor’s Pho.

Encourage your kitchen staff to get creative: leftovers can make for standout specials!

2. Order with Intention

Reducing food waste starts with your ordering process. The key is to pay attention to how much product you order, as well as which products you buy fresh. Some products can be bought canned or frozen, giving them longer shelf lives.

You can let application guide you. Vegetables and meats that will be served whole should likely be freshly sourced. Meanwhile, ingredients that will go into dishes like soups, pastas, pies, and casseroles can be sourced frozen or canned.

Sauces and entrees with long shelf lives can also be a good option, with added labor-saving benefits. Take Chef-mate Country Sausage Gravy. If you only use sausage gravy at weekend brunch, leftovers will likely go to waste. Sourcing this product as a pre-made item with an 18-month shelf life, can help you avoid tossing the unused ingredients you’d use otherwise.

3. Pay Attention to Portions

When it comes to packaged ingredients, the clock often starts when the package is opened. If you don’t use the entire product quickly enough, it may spoil before it can be used. Sometimes, ordering smaller portions can help you reduce waste; other times, it’s more efficient or order and prep in bulk.

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese from Stouffer’s can be ordered in single-serving or bulk pouches, depending on how much and how quickly you plan to serve. Keep in mind, it’s important to consider not only how many menu items an ingredient is used in, but how popular those dishes are, when you try this strategy.

4. Cross-Utilize Ingredients

Using individual ingredients in just one application can be a major contributor to waste. If that menu item isn’t ordered as quickly as anticipated, you’ll be left with excess on your hands.

Cross-utilization is a solution to this problem. Finding ways to use ingredients in multiple offerings gives you flexibility in how you use it, especially across dayparts. For example, Nestlé Vitality® Passion Fruit Orange Guava is a delicious breakfast solution, self-dispensed via the low-labor Nestlé Vitality Express Dispenser. But it’s also a striking mixer for later in the day, with menu-standout cocktails and increasingly popular mocktails.

5. Choose Responsible Partners

Reducing food waste in your operation is just one of many ways to support a less wasteful food supply chain. You can also make an impact by choosing partners that also focus on food waste reduction.

For example, Nestlé USA achieved zero waste for disposal at all manufacturing facilities and distribution centers, meaning all locations have found ways to recycle, compost, or recover energy from waste materials that would have otherwise gone to landfill. Your operation and actions are crucial to prevent food waste — and you should hold your partners to a high standard, too!

This guide is brought to you by Nestlé Professional Solutions. Contact your Foodbuy Account Manager today to learn about Nestle’s programs through Foodbuy.