If you’re concerned about the environment and want to ensure that your food service business doesn’t contribute to the waste and pollution that’s harming our planet, there are plenty of useful steps you can take to reduce the overall carbon footprint of your restaurant. From changing the way you plan your menu to mixing things up in the kitchen, we’ve got some useful tips to help transform your whole restaurant into a sustainable and eco-conscious enterprise.
Refurbish your kitchen.
There are multiple ways you can change up your restaurant’s kitchen to make it more eco-friendly. Firstly, you can switch over to appliances that are more energy efficient. Out of date, inefficient appliances can burn through your energy at a rapid rate, leaving you with sky-high bills at the end of each month and a business that puts the environment under even more pressure. Switch to appliances that are well known for being energy efficient, and use Shepherd Filters to manage grease in a way that cuts down on your cleaning time while using only biodegradable, sustainable materials.
Opt for organic wines.
Take a look at your wine list and consider just how eco-conscious the wineries you’re sourcing your drinks from really are. There are plenty of eco-friendly, sustainable and organic wine farms across the country offering a better option for green restaurants, so try switching out some of your usual wines for an eco-friendly alternative. The wine may even taste better with all of those pesticides and chemicals taken out of the equation.
Source your ingredients locally.
One simple way to look at the sustainability of your business is to consider where you source products from. When it comes to restaurant and food businesses, you bring plenty of ingredients in to create the delicious recipes on your menu. Make connections with farms and vendors in your local area so you’re not creating a larger carbon footprint by shipping products in from far away. It’s also a great way to support your local economy and help other businesses in your area thrive.
Bring down your waste levels.
One of the primary ways restaurants can be damaging to the environment is the level of waste they produce. Many people are looking to minimise the waste in their homes as a way of doing their bit for the planet, and you can easily do that as a business owner. Cut down on food waste by managing your inventory wisely and never over-ordering items you don’t need, donating excess food to local charities and food banks, and training your kitchen staff to grab ingredients that are nearing their expiration dates before reaching for something else.
Make sure your menu is in season.
If you’re placing dishes on your menu with items that are out of season, you’re going to be forced to ship those ingredients in from distant locations and sacrifice the freshness and quality of the food you serve. Change up your menu throughout the year so your dishes feature in-season fruits and vegetables, and seek out sustainable sources when it comes to items like seafood. Not only will this improve the overall taste and culinary experience for your customers, it’ll also help attract more customers to your business who are looking for an eco-conscious dining option in their area.
