SUSTAINABILITY


The aNatomY of A SuStainable mEnu


Every foodservice operation has its own defi nition of sustainability, which will impact menu design, but the following core considerations can focus the mind on the key questions that support the creation of a sustainable menu


MINIMAL WASTE:


Use as much of every product that comes through the door as possible


SEASONALITY: Optimize fl avor, nutritional value and quality by using ingredients that are in season and readily available


LOCAL SOURCING:


Minimize the food miles for every ingredient, and support the local economy


CLEAN INGREDIENTS: Procure from farms that focus on sustainable agriculture, where ingredients are responsibly raised, grown, and harvested


USE MORE OF THE ANIMAL:


Not only does it avoid waste while sustaining profi t margins, but some of the best fl avors and nutritional values come from less-used cuts


USE FOOD CUTTINGS:


Too much food is thrown away, so rethink vegetable waste and be creative on how to use it, as making stock is just the beginning


PLANT-FORWARD DIET:


Recognize that feeding all humans on the planet over time will requires crop ingenuity and a reliance on ingredients other than animal proteins


SCRATCH COOKING:


Too many foodservice facilities – schools, healthcare, senior living, some corporate – depend on pre-made, heat-and-serve items that may be unhealthy or come in non-recyclable packaging


COMPOSTABLE/BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING:


Using non-sustainable packaging erases all other sustainability eff orts, so factor in this cost when budgeting


FOCUSED MENUS:


Keep it simple – bigger menus come with higher food and labor costs, and more inventory to manage, and it is easy to give customers too many choices, resulting in waste


PROVENANCE OF INGREDIENTS:


A full and authentic commitment to the identifi cation of sources is the frosting on the cake of sustainability claims


CARBON FOOTPRINT AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:


If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it, so a QR code to access additional information could be a gamechanger


FOR MORE GO TO FCSI.ORG


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