Sustainability Tips to Bring Your Restaurant to the Next Level in 2023

Keeping sustainability in mind when running your restaurant can result in a wide range of advantages, including financial and environmental ones. Naturally, sustainable practices are better for the environment. If done correctly, they will also help you improve efficiency, cut costs, and build a stronger brand in the eyes of today's conscious consumer.

Two of the most important things you can do to make your restaurant more sustainable are to choose produce that is sourced locally and work to reduce food waste. We've compiled this list of useful sustainability tips to provide some pointers on how to carry out these tasks successfully.

In 2023, we hope you will be able to use them to elevate your restaurant to new heights.

How to get local produce for a restaurant menu 

There are several ways to get local food ingredients:

1. Establish connections with producers and farmers in the area: This can be accomplished by attending events related to food and agriculture, going to local farmers' markets, and directly contacting local farms and producers.
2. Join a buying club or local food co-op: These organizations connect restaurants and other businesses looking for local ingredients with producers and farmers in the area.
3. Make trips to wholesale markets: Local and regional growers and producers are covered in sections at many wholesale markets.
4. Make use of online tools: Numerous regional and local growers and producers have social media accounts and websites where they sell and promote their products.
5. Check for certification in your area: Local farmers and producers who meet certain requirements, such as organic or biodynamic farming, are awarded certifications in many regions.
6. Get to know other restaurant and chef owners in the area: They may be able to offer helpful advice on how to establish relationships with local suppliers and where to acquire local ingredients.

It is also important to note that local sourcing can help to boost your restaurant's visibility and raise its profile among the local food community as well as the seasonality and variety of your menu.

It would be a shame to waste all of that fresh, locally sourced produce once you have it in your possession. It is essential to take steps to ensure that all of your ingredients are utilized effectively in order to increase sustainability and your bottom line.

How to cut down on food waste in the kitchen 

The following are some ways to cut down on food waste in a restaurant:

1. Limiting portions: Provide takeout containers for guests to take their leftovers home in, and think about offering smaller portions as an option.
2. Management of the inventory: Maintain a record of your food supply, rotate products, and make use of them before they run out.
3. Planning meals and creating menus: Make a menu ahead of time using the ingredients you already have and what's in season.
4. Recycling and composting food scraps: Set up a program to compost food scraps and other organic materials, and recycle anything that can't be composted.
5. Utilizing leftovers: Create new dishes that can be served the following day and plan for leftovers.
6. Training for staff: Inform your employees about the significance of reducing food waste and the ways in which they can help.
7. Advanced storage: Food that is stored properly will last longer and be less likely to spoil.
8. Measure and track food waste: Measure and keep track of food waste on a regular basis. Understanding how much food is being wasted, where it comes from, and how to deal with it will be easier with this information.
9. Work with organizations in the area: Food surpluses can be utilized by numerous organizations, including shelters and food banks.
10. Be in touch with your clients: On your menu and website, you should promote your efforts to reduce food waste and encourage customers to take home leftovers.

In addition to being good for the environment, a restaurant's bottom line can be improved by reducing costs and increasing efficiency by reducing food waste.

Taking into account sustainable practices like these can really help your restaurant prepare for the future, especially in light of the difficult financial conditions we are currently facing. Your profits should increase immediately if you choose locally sourced produce and reduce food waste. Over time, this will strengthen your brand and assist you in attracting loyal, long-term customers who support your sustainability mission.

Check out our most recent sustainability report to learn more about how Lamb Weston is embracing sustainability and for additional sustainability-related ideas.

We hope it can help you get started on your own journey toward sustainability.