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Reducing Foodservice Waste: Going Green Can Save Green
practice applications
TOPICS OF PROFESSIONAL INTEREST
Reducing Foodservice Waste: Going Green Can Save Green
I
t’s the beginning of a new year, and if one of your resolutions is to green your institutional foodservice and recycle and reduce your water usage and garbage hauling fees, there are good ways to do it, and you’ve got lots of company. And by going green, your foodservice can save some green as well. In April 1997, a Journal article, “The Greening of a School District” (1), detailed the efforts of Nadine Mann, PhD, RD, director of operations of East Baton Rouge Parish School System in East Baton Rouge, LA, to institute a recycling program and reduce waste in the school cafeterias within her school district. The green movement has continued to gather momentum since this article was published and the message hasn’t changed. “The very first thing any foodservice director should look at is sourcing. Can we redo packaging that would impact what goes in the dumpster? That, to me, is the highest priority, and it’s certainly made the biggest impact for us.” For example, they found they could significantly reduce the volume of waste by changing from milk cartons to plastic pouches that the children pierce with straws. Despite concerns from parents and staff, Mann reports that the pouches are a huge success; since the switch, there have been fewer milk spills, the volume of garbage is reduced, and because the milk feels colder in students’ hands, and they can see how much milk they drink, less milk is This article was written by Jim McCaffree, a freelance writer in Los Angeles, CA. McCaffree is a former editor of the Journal and currently works for a direct mail agency that works with nonprofits. McCaffree is also a writer of short films. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2008.11.038
wasted, thereby reducing the schools’ food waste as well. School cafeterias, however, are not the only institutions trying to go green. Many correctional facilities are also instituting recycling programs. Barbara Wakeen, MA, RD, owner of Correctional Nutrition Consultants in North Canton, OH, reports that one of her clients, in addition to recycling cardboard and cans, contracts with a company that will pick up its milk cartons. They also are trying to use quick-decomposing containers when packaging up bag meals and snacks. Even shoes are being recycled for use in tennis courts. One correctional facility has even used recycling to better the life of its inmates. They shred paper waste and bale cardboard from food boxes for sale to the local recycling foundation; the money they make is placed into their indigent welfare fund. FOOD WASTE “The second thing to look at is what is going out of the kitchen every day,” says Mann. Offer vs Serve One way to reduce food waste, many operators have found, is by providing choices to diners, whether they are students, prisoners, or residents in a long-term care facility. This concept is known as “offer versus serve;” instead of serving every diner the same meal, meal components are offered, and the diner can choose which items they will take. In fact, under US Department of Agriculture regulations (2), a student can decide to take all of the food components offered or some of the components, and the meal will be considered reimbursable by the federal government. “So if you can teach your student body how to take the foods that they want for their meal and
© 2009 by the American Dietetic Association
then to eat those foods,” says Teresa Nece, MS, RD, chair of the School Nutrition Services dietetic practice group, private consultant, and former director of food and nutrition management for the Des Moines, IA, school district, “then you’ve made a great impact in reducing what goes on the plate and then is thrown away.” Mann concurs. “When I started, it used to be mandatory that everything had to be put on the plate, and let me tell you, we really fed the garbage can.” Lee Tincher, MS, RD, president of HM Composite, a consultation service to the long-term health care industry, says, “The use of buffets, salad bars, wait service, and family style dining in long-term care facilities can reduce the plate waste.” Research bears this out. According to a study published in the Journal, researchers analyzed a waste stream for 7 days. They determined that health care tray service generated more service food waste by weight for all three meals than either family-style service or wait-staff service, and residents eating in the dining room with family-style service disposed of significantly less service food waste than those receiving the other two service styles (3). Tincher is an advocate of a movement called “Culture Change.” While not specifically an environmental movement, its mission, “to transform the culture of nursing homes by building relationship-centered communities that affirm the dignity, autonomy, and value of each individual who lives and works there,” (4) can impact the amount of food waste generated. “The goals of Culture Change are to allow residents more autonomy in choosing their food,” Tincher says. “It is also referred to as person-directed dining. Food waste is reduced by improving communication systems between the dietary department and the resident or nursing staff. Waste is created when we serve the wrong
Journal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION
205
TOPICS OF PROFESSIONAL INTEREST foods to a resident and then must make another tray or substitute food item.” Tincher adds that more dietary departments are implementing computerized tray tickets to manage the information and help provide the foods a resident will eat. Composting Wakeen says that many of her client facilities have gardens and farms that grow food, which they then prepare for inmates. Also, Wakeen says, several sites recycle kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable peelings and trimmings) for their worm farm. The worms break down the waste and release nutrients back into the soil. Other correctional facilities recycle all of their food waste, which is picked up by recycling companies that then convert it to compost. CONSERVING WATER Because of the droughts that have hit much of the United States recently, water expenses have risen dramatically, and saving water has taken on
new urgency, especially in school cafeterias, which use a great deal of water to wash dishes, flatware, and trays. In fact, a recent Chicago Tribune article showed how universities in drought-stricken states in the Southeast have eliminated the use of trays in their cafeterias. The article reports that, for example, Georgia Tech, with 18,000 students, has saved 3,000 gallons of water per day; the University of Florida, with 50,000 students, estimates it will save 470,000 gallons annually (5). Mann says that East Baton Rouge switched to disposable ware about 10 years ago. “It made a huge impact in the water usage of the district.” Not only that, she says, it made a significant impact on the electricity that was used because the cafeterias no longer have to operate a dishwashing machine. The downside, though, is that styrofoam is not eco-friendly and not easily recyclable, but they couldn’t afford to go with paper plates, which Mann estimates cost twice as much as styrofoam. “We didn’t have a recycling outlet for paper anyway, and with us being a large district—91 schools—the fact that we would have to hold these items to be recycled, whether they would be styrofoam or paper plates, is almost impossible because of odors and problems with sanitation . . . we have high humidity and heat and we cannot have our garbage held. I’m not pleased with that from a recycling standpoint, but that’s just the way it is.” CHALLENGES IN GOING GREEN While institutions with foodservice have made great strides in reducing waste and recycling, going green is not without its challenges. Recycling can often mean increased labor. For instance, when Mann instituted cardboard recycling in East Baton Rouge, she says she encountered resistance from the custodial staff. However, she says, it is now standard operating procedure in East Baton Rouge schools. However, Hurricane Katrina has hindered East Baton Rouge’s recycling efforts. “We took in over 10,000 students when Katrina hit in 2005.” As a result, Mann says, improving recycling has “gone to the back burner.” One of Wakeen’s clients, a manager
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February 2009 Volume 109 Number 2
of jail services, says that two challenges her facility faces are the necessity of continuously training new inmate workers and getting the foodservice staff to buy in to a recycling program; otherwise, this dietitian says, they will not adequately train and monitor inmate workers. Beyond convincing workers to buy in to a recycling program, the same dietitian reports that the cost for hauling organic debris is higher than trash hauling, which makes reducing plate waste important. When asked about educating parents on reducing waste, Mann says that 95% of elementary students eat their meals at school, and high school students in her district either eat school lunches or go off campus. As for parents reducing the waste in their kids’ lunches by using reusable containers, “I don’t see the parents having the time to do that.” However, Nece says, “I think there’s always room to continue to educate parents on not only what comes home from school but how to in turn reduce waste in their home. One of the biggest issues, I think, is continuing to educate the community. Because you can only make so many changes without making sure that everyone is a part of improving what is happening with the environment.” References 1. Hahn N. The greening of a school district. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:371. 2. Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture. Offer vs. serve resource guide. Food and Nutrition Service Web site. http:// www.fns.usda.gov/TN/Resources/offer_v_serve. html. Accessed October 5, 2008. 3. Hackes B, Shanklin C, Kim T, Su A. Tray service generates more food waste in dining areas of a continuing-care retirement community. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:879-882. 4. California Culture Change. Mission statement. California Culture Change Web site. http://www.calculturechange.org. Accessed October 5, 2008. 5. Raby J, Holy food fight: US colleges saying nay to cafeteria trays. Chicago Tribune Web site. http://mobile.chicagotribune.com/detail. jsp?key⫽173795&full⫽1. Accessed August 25, 2008.
TOPICS OF PROFESSIONAL INTEREST
Reducing Foodservice Waste: Going Green Can Save Green
I
t’s the beginning of a new year, and if one of your resolutions is to green your institutional foodservice and recycle and reduce your water usage and garbage hauling fees, there are good ways to do it, and you’ve got lots of company. And by going green, your foodservice can save some green as well. In April 1997, a Journal article, “The Greening of a School District” (1), detailed the efforts of Nadine Mann, PhD, RD, director of operations of East Baton Rouge Parish School System in East Baton Rouge, LA, to institute a recycling program and reduce waste in the school cafeterias within her school district. The green movement has continued to gather momentum since this article was published and the message hasn’t changed. “The very first thing any foodservice director should look at is sourcing. Can we redo packaging that would impact what goes in the dumpster? That, to me, is the highest priority, and it’s certainly made the biggest impact for us.” For example, they found they could significantly reduce the volume of waste by changing from milk cartons to plastic pouches that the children pierce with straws. Despite concerns from parents and staff, Mann reports that the pouches are a huge success; since the switch, there have been fewer milk spills, the volume of garbage is reduced, and because the milk feels colder in students’ hands, and they can see how much milk they drink, less milk is This article was written by Jim McCaffree, a freelance writer in Los Angeles, CA. McCaffree is a former editor of the Journal and currently works for a direct mail agency that works with nonprofits. McCaffree is also a writer of short films. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2008.11.038
wasted, thereby reducing the schools’ food waste as well. School cafeterias, however, are not the only institutions trying to go green. Many correctional facilities are also instituting recycling programs. Barbara Wakeen, MA, RD, owner of Correctional Nutrition Consultants in North Canton, OH, reports that one of her clients, in addition to recycling cardboard and cans, contracts with a company that will pick up its milk cartons. They also are trying to use quick-decomposing containers when packaging up bag meals and snacks. Even shoes are being recycled for use in tennis courts. One correctional facility has even used recycling to better the life of its inmates. They shred paper waste and bale cardboard from food boxes for sale to the local recycling foundation; the money they make is placed into their indigent welfare fund. FOOD WASTE “The second thing to look at is what is going out of the kitchen every day,” says Mann. Offer vs Serve One way to reduce food waste, many operators have found, is by providing choices to diners, whether they are students, prisoners, or residents in a long-term care facility. This concept is known as “offer versus serve;” instead of serving every diner the same meal, meal components are offered, and the diner can choose which items they will take. In fact, under US Department of Agriculture regulations (2), a student can decide to take all of the food components offered or some of the components, and the meal will be considered reimbursable by the federal government. “So if you can teach your student body how to take the foods that they want for their meal and
© 2009 by the American Dietetic Association
then to eat those foods,” says Teresa Nece, MS, RD, chair of the School Nutrition Services dietetic practice group, private consultant, and former director of food and nutrition management for the Des Moines, IA, school district, “then you’ve made a great impact in reducing what goes on the plate and then is thrown away.” Mann concurs. “When I started, it used to be mandatory that everything had to be put on the plate, and let me tell you, we really fed the garbage can.” Lee Tincher, MS, RD, president of HM Composite, a consultation service to the long-term health care industry, says, “The use of buffets, salad bars, wait service, and family style dining in long-term care facilities can reduce the plate waste.” Research bears this out. According to a study published in the Journal, researchers analyzed a waste stream for 7 days. They determined that health care tray service generated more service food waste by weight for all three meals than either family-style service or wait-staff service, and residents eating in the dining room with family-style service disposed of significantly less service food waste than those receiving the other two service styles (3). Tincher is an advocate of a movement called “Culture Change.” While not specifically an environmental movement, its mission, “to transform the culture of nursing homes by building relationship-centered communities that affirm the dignity, autonomy, and value of each individual who lives and works there,” (4) can impact the amount of food waste generated. “The goals of Culture Change are to allow residents more autonomy in choosing their food,” Tincher says. “It is also referred to as person-directed dining. Food waste is reduced by improving communication systems between the dietary department and the resident or nursing staff. Waste is created when we serve the wrong
Journal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION
205
TOPICS OF PROFESSIONAL INTEREST foods to a resident and then must make another tray or substitute food item.” Tincher adds that more dietary departments are implementing computerized tray tickets to manage the information and help provide the foods a resident will eat. Composting Wakeen says that many of her client facilities have gardens and farms that grow food, which they then prepare for inmates. Also, Wakeen says, several sites recycle kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable peelings and trimmings) for their worm farm. The worms break down the waste and release nutrients back into the soil. Other correctional facilities recycle all of their food waste, which is picked up by recycling companies that then convert it to compost. CONSERVING WATER Because of the droughts that have hit much of the United States recently, water expenses have risen dramatically, and saving water has taken on
new urgency, especially in school cafeterias, which use a great deal of water to wash dishes, flatware, and trays. In fact, a recent Chicago Tribune article showed how universities in drought-stricken states in the Southeast have eliminated the use of trays in their cafeterias. The article reports that, for example, Georgia Tech, with 18,000 students, has saved 3,000 gallons of water per day; the University of Florida, with 50,000 students, estimates it will save 470,000 gallons annually (5). Mann says that East Baton Rouge switched to disposable ware about 10 years ago. “It made a huge impact in the water usage of the district.” Not only that, she says, it made a significant impact on the electricity that was used because the cafeterias no longer have to operate a dishwashing machine. The downside, though, is that styrofoam is not eco-friendly and not easily recyclable, but they couldn’t afford to go with paper plates, which Mann estimates cost twice as much as styrofoam. “We didn’t have a recycling outlet for paper anyway, and with us being a large district—91 schools—the fact that we would have to hold these items to be recycled, whether they would be styrofoam or paper plates, is almost impossible because of odors and problems with sanitation . . . we have high humidity and heat and we cannot have our garbage held. I’m not pleased with that from a recycling standpoint, but that’s just the way it is.” CHALLENGES IN GOING GREEN While institutions with foodservice have made great strides in reducing waste and recycling, going green is not without its challenges. Recycling can often mean increased labor. For instance, when Mann instituted cardboard recycling in East Baton Rouge, she says she encountered resistance from the custodial staff. However, she says, it is now standard operating procedure in East Baton Rouge schools. However, Hurricane Katrina has hindered East Baton Rouge’s recycling efforts. “We took in over 10,000 students when Katrina hit in 2005.” As a result, Mann says, improving recycling has “gone to the back burner.” One of Wakeen’s clients, a manager
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February 2009 Volume 109 Number 2
of jail services, says that two challenges her facility faces are the necessity of continuously training new inmate workers and getting the foodservice staff to buy in to a recycling program; otherwise, this dietitian says, they will not adequately train and monitor inmate workers. Beyond convincing workers to buy in to a recycling program, the same dietitian reports that the cost for hauling organic debris is higher than trash hauling, which makes reducing plate waste important. When asked about educating parents on reducing waste, Mann says that 95% of elementary students eat their meals at school, and high school students in her district either eat school lunches or go off campus. As for parents reducing the waste in their kids’ lunches by using reusable containers, “I don’t see the parents having the time to do that.” However, Nece says, “I think there’s always room to continue to educate parents on not only what comes home from school but how to in turn reduce waste in their home. One of the biggest issues, I think, is continuing to educate the community. Because you can only make so many changes without making sure that everyone is a part of improving what is happening with the environment.” References 1. Hahn N. The greening of a school district. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:371. 2. Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture. Offer vs. serve resource guide. Food and Nutrition Service Web site. http:// www.fns.usda.gov/TN/Resources/offer_v_serve. html. Accessed October 5, 2008. 3. Hackes B, Shanklin C, Kim T, Su A. Tray service generates more food waste in dining areas of a continuing-care retirement community. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:879-882. 4. California Culture Change. Mission statement. California Culture Change Web site. http://www.calculturechange.org. Accessed October 5, 2008. 5. Raby J, Holy food fight: US colleges saying nay to cafeteria trays. Chicago Tribune Web site. http://mobile.chicagotribune.com/detail. jsp?key⫽173795&full⫽1. Accessed August 25, 2008.