How To Limit Food Waste When Eating Out
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When it comes to food waste, we often think about reducing the food we waste at home, such as saving leftovers and using a good rotation system so everything is used up before it goes out of date.
We don’t always give a lot of thought to food waste when we eat out. However, there are definitely ways we can limit the food waste created when enjoying a meal out at the local pub or restaurant.
Having previously worked as a chef for twelve years, I’ve seen just how much food gets wasted in the hospitality industry.
Most chefs and their teams are excellent at stock rotation. After all, any out-of-date food that has to be binned is essentially money going down the drain for their business and they’ll want to avoid it at all costs.
But what about the food that comes back on people’s plates?
Well, 99% of it probably ends up in the bin. It can’t be reused and rightly so as who knows whether it’s been sneezed on, coughed on etc.
I do remember occasionally being asked to collect leftover Sunday veggies for someone’s pet (probably a pig or a goat I think!) but that’s about all we could do to reduce the food waste coming back on people’s plates.
So, what can you do to reduce the amount of food waste when you eat out?
Always Ask For A Doggie Bag
People are often embarrassed to ask for a doggy bag when they eat out, but there is absolutely no shame in asking for food that you’re paying for to be bagged up so you can take it home.
This helps avoid food waste and means you’re getting value for money as the food you’ve paid for is now stretching to another meal.
Most restaurants and pubs will have containers and bags ready as so many people do request this. When I worked as a chef, I was always happy people were taking food home to enjoy later on.
Do just bear in mind your plans for the rest of the day though, as food will need to be refrigerated within a couple of hours to be safe for consumption. Be extra careful when reheating at home and always ensure food is piping hot before serving.
Check Whether You Can Have Smaller Portions
If you’ve got a small appetite and don’t think you can manage a large meal, why not ask if you can have a smaller portion?
Many places nowadays offer a small plates or you could choose to have a starter instead of a main, or two starters instead of a starter and a main course.
When I worked in a pub, we were always happy to accommodate this type of thing as we liked to keep our customers happy.
Swap Out Items You Don’t Like
Don’t like peas? Ask if you can have a salad instead! Don’t like onion rings? Ask for them to be left off.
You may often find when eating out that your dish comes with something you don’t like. Rather than just leaving it and creating waste (if no one else your with is likely to eat it) just ask if it can be left off or swapped.
Don’t be cheeky, nowhere is going to let you swap salad for an extra steak but they are likely to let switch peas for beans or salad for carrots and broccoli, of course depending on what’s on their menu.
Order From The Children’s Menu
There was recently a TikTok going viral all about how ordering from the children’s at Nandos is a great way to save money and you also get a pretty decent portion.
Ordering from the children’s menu is a great way to save on food waste if you’d prefer a smaller portion.
However, many restaurants have age restrictions in place for kids’ menus – if everyone started ordering from them, they’d be making a lot less profit. Still, could be worth an ask if it’s just for one person rather than a party of ten all wanting kids’ meals.
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Avoid All You Can Eat Buffets
All You Can Eat Buffets might seem like a good idea if you want to limit food waste when eating out, as you help yourself to as little or as much food as you like.
The problem is, there can be a temptation to overload your plate and grab dishes you’re unsure whether you like, which then don’t get eaten.
You might also be tempted to load up your plate more than is necessary to ensure you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.
Final Thoughts – How To Limit Food Waste When Eating Out
Most of you like to enjoy eating out – it’s a treat and you mind find it’s a time that you don’t want to worry about food waste like you would at home. However, using some of the really simple steps listed here, you can reduce food waste and still enjoy eating meals out.
