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Love Food Hate Waste aims to reduce the amount of waste UK households produce through their annual Food Waste Action Week campaign. But with 6.2 million tonnes of food being wasted by the food industry every year in the UK, businesses must also play their part to address the issue.
Factors outside of our control (thanks, British weather!) can affect how much vendors are left with at the end of the day. As businesses strive to meet the demands of a hungry crowd, excess ingredients and unsold items often end up in landfill, contributing to the food waste issue.
In response to this challenge, initiatives like Food Waste Action Week aim to raise awareness and inspire positive change within the food industry, encouraging businesses to take tangible steps towards reducing food waste.
How street food vendors can make a difference:
1. Mindful menu planning: A good way to minimise waste is by planning menus based on popular items. This ensures that ingredients are utilised efficiently, reducing the likelihood of excess perishables.
2. Reducing portion sizes: We all love decent portions of street food. However, we would say that this can sometimes be taken overboard. Offering slightly smaller portion sizes caters to varying appetites and helps minimise the chances of leftovers. Serving your food in packaging that can be taken home (i.e. in a clamshell) is a good way to encourage customers to take their leftovers home to enjoy later on.
3. Creativity in the kitchen: My Streats gives vendors the opportunity to get creative with surplus ingredients by incorporating them into daily specials. By adding a new dish to your menu on My Streats (which takes minutes), you can reduce waste and showcase your innovation.
4. Eco-friendly packaging: If you haven’t already, don’t forget to switch to sustainable packaging options, such as compostable containers and utensils, which can significantly reduce the environmental impact of your offerings.
Don’t forget… My Streats has a deal notification with the aim of reducing the surplus food you’re left with at the end of service.
If you think you’ll be heading home with leftovers, send your customers an exclusive offer to entice them to visit you before you close up. They’ll snap up their favourite food for less and you’ll increase your day’s takings – it’s a win-win!
Food Waste Action Week serves as a catalyst for change, inspiring both vendors and consumers to embrace sustainable practices and ensure that our love for street food leaves a positive and lasting impression on the planet. Through collective efforts, we can savour the flavours of the world while contributing to a more sustainable and delicious future.
