Hints and Tips: Re-Use Policy
LeanPath coaches speak with clients on a regular basis. Often we learn new information that can help others reduce waste and we like to share those Hints and Tips with you. Having a proper review and re-use policy goes along way toward making sure that items are safely stored and then re-utilized in an operation. Sites often do a good job are keeping overproduction for re-use later but without a plan, these items become expired and are eventually thrown out. Here are a few ways some of our clients handle this situation:
Re-Use Tips:
- Make sure the items are properly reviewed. Often items are saved by staff and placed into a cooler/freezer but that action is not communicated to managers so they can make plans for those items. Many of our clients have a formal review policy where all overproduced items, that are never put out, are brought to a central area where they are reviewed by a supervisor and the team for safety and potential re-use opportunity. The team discusses and makes plans for these items before they are sent to the cooler/freezer, then all team members are aware of the plan for that item and it can be built into the follow-up production on subsequent days.
- Creativity is always encouraged. How to re-use the items can seem like it might be a challenge, but one client has taken this challenge and created a station solely for the purpose of re-use. Each day the items being saved are reviewed by the team and through brainstorming sessions ideas for how to “dress-up” these items are formulated and then they are sold on that station the next day. This concept has been very popular and cut down waste due to expiration nearly to zero. Other clients with weekend service have a special area set aside in the cooler where items saved during the latter part of the week are stored. Then the weekend team makes first use of these items in their Saturday/Sunday planning to supplement the new menu items.
- Donation is always an option. If an item is leftover and there is not immediate avenue for re-use within the operation that item can always be donated to a local food rescue group. Most municipalities have access to lists of local organizations and a quick web search can give you a wealth of information. Sites such as www.resourceventure.org gives city wide information for Seattle, WA and www.foodtodonate.com can help you find resources in your area.
- Track the leftovers and target source reduction. Track the amounts electronically, on paper or via your production system. Planned re-use of items is a great way to lessen your pre-consumer waste but source reduction (not having it in the first place) is the ultimate goal. Monitor the amounts, and plan accordingly in future days or cycles to bring those overproduction numbers down.
