Comments on: Serving Waste http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/ a look at how America squanders nearly half of its food Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:04:29 +0000 hourly 1 By: Craig Coker http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/comment-page-1/#comment-120146 Craig Coker Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:47:19 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/#comment-120146 I am working on a study of food waste generation at the Univ. of South Carolina in Columbia. Phase 1 is a correlation study to food waste audits done at other universities, Phase 2, if enacted, will include actual measurement. USC has 26 dining establishments on campus; 3 all-you-can-eat, four cafeterias, 11 fast-food establishments and 7 to-go food sources. Looking at other data out there is relatively consistent. Most audits have looked only at post-consumer food waste and only at all-u-can-eats (not surprisingly, as most fast food waste is not food, but packaging). Some data: Virginia Tech- April 2008 - pre and post - 0.553 lbs per patron daily average over 5 days Ohio University - Jefferson Dining Hall - post-consumer only -0.337 lbs/meal served Univ. of VA - Observatory Hill Dining Hall - October 2008 - post-consumer only - 0.197 lbs/patron Univ. of Oregon - 9 audits 1995-2003, average of 0.257 lbs/meal post-consumer only Univ. of Vermont - Simpson Dining Hall - 2007 -0.2 lbs/patron, post-consumer only. Craig I am working on a study of food waste generation at the Univ. of South Carolina in Columbia. Phase 1 is a correlation study to food waste audits done at other universities, Phase 2, if enacted, will include actual measurement.

USC has 26 dining establishments on campus; 3 all-you-can-eat, four cafeterias, 11 fast-food establishments and 7 to-go food sources.

Looking at other data out there is relatively consistent. Most audits have looked only at post-consumer food waste and only at all-u-can-eats (not surprisingly, as most fast food waste is not food, but packaging).

Some data:
Virginia Tech- April 2008 – pre and post – 0.553 lbs per patron daily average over 5 days

Ohio University – Jefferson Dining Hall – post-consumer only -0.337 lbs/meal served

Univ. of VA – Observatory Hill Dining Hall – October 2008 – post-consumer only – 0.197 lbs/patron

Univ. of Oregon – 9 audits 1995-2003, average of 0.257 lbs/meal post-consumer only

Univ. of Vermont – Simpson Dining Hall – 2007 -0.2 lbs/patron, post-consumer only.

Craig

]]> By: Vega http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/comment-page-1/#comment-118165 Vega Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:29:57 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/#comment-118165 As a college student who spent three years eating at campus cafeterias, my take on buffet vs. staff-served is mixed. My friends and I often got more food from the serving staff than we wanted (particularly of sides) and there were a lot of comments that if we could serve ourselves we'd take less. There was also a self-serve salad and fruit bar, and some buffet breads and pastries, and I don't really recall seeing much of that food get thrown away (however, sides like fruit probably aren't quite the same as main courses in respect to how much people think they will eat). On the other hand, I know there was a real problem my freshman year with people taking the whole fruits (apples and oranges) and not eating them and throwing them at each other instead. And I know that all the buffet food got thrown away each night, so there was obviously a lot of waste there. I'm not sure there is a one-size-fits-all solution...what works for some people will lead to a lot of waste with others. I think the discussion is positive though, and at least makes people aware of something that they might not think about otherwise. As a college student who spent three years eating at campus cafeterias, my take on buffet vs. staff-served is mixed. My friends and I often got more food from the serving staff than we wanted (particularly of sides) and there were a lot of comments that if we could serve ourselves we’d take less. There was also a self-serve salad and fruit bar, and some buffet breads and pastries, and I don’t really recall seeing much of that food get thrown away (however, sides like fruit probably aren’t quite the same as main courses in respect to how much people think they will eat).

On the other hand, I know there was a real problem my freshman year with people taking the whole fruits (apples and oranges) and not eating them and throwing them at each other instead. And I know that all the buffet food got thrown away each night, so there was obviously a lot of waste there. I’m not sure there is a one-size-fits-all solution…what works for some people will lead to a lot of waste with others. I think the discussion is positive though, and at least makes people aware of something that they might not think about otherwise.

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/comment-page-1/#comment-118156 Jonathan Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:27:15 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/#comment-118156 Dan, thought-provoking comment, as usual. In particular, you make an excellent point about served food being eligible for donation. I can't believe I forgot to mention that factor. Because, from a food use standpoint, that's huge. Dan, thought-provoking comment, as usual. In particular, you make an excellent point about served food being eligible for donation. I can’t believe I forgot to mention that factor. Because, from a food use standpoint, that’s huge.

]]> By: Dan Livingston (CHOW) http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/comment-page-1/#comment-117939 Dan Livingston (CHOW) Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:19:47 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2009/04/06/serving-waste/#comment-117939 I'd be interested to read a more comprehensive study of student food waste. There's a lot of anecdotal evidence that the a la carte dining systems are less waste intensive than the buffet style ones, but I'd like to see something like what Aramark did with their cross-campus assessment of trayless dining in buffet facilities done across the board. I'm particularly interested in the phenomenon of food waste on campuses where all of the dining facilities are a la carte and all controlled by the same service provider; there is still a tremendous amount of waste in these facilities, but since they are a la carte, there's sort of a moratorium on even discussing the issue. My particular take on the issue is staff service, all the way. Buffets are unsanitary, and leftovers are ineligible for donation or source waste reduction. I am, however, a bit wary of solutions to food waste that tend to quell discussion. There are still so many issues around not just American food consumption, but cafeteria food service that warrant further discussion that, I think, we should always be wary of the easy solution. So far as food waste is concerned, there are fundamentally different economic paradigms operating in the a la carte and buffet dining situations. The former is a business model where sales are key; up-sell the customer, encourage greater consumption. It doesn't matter if they eat the chicken fingers or throw them at one another, just so long as they paid for them. In the latter case it's a pay to play system; you pay for access to the line, and they supply food concurrent with as many people as they predict would access the line during any given meal. In the buffet case, there is an economic motivation to reduce food waste, while in the a la carte system there is a motivation to increase sales. Peace and Love, Dan I’d be interested to read a more comprehensive study of student food waste. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that the a la carte dining systems are less waste intensive than the buffet style ones, but I’d like to see something like what Aramark did with their cross-campus assessment of trayless dining in buffet facilities done across the board. I’m particularly interested in the phenomenon of food waste on campuses where all of the dining facilities are a la carte and all controlled by the same service provider; there is still a tremendous amount of waste in these facilities, but since they are a la carte, there’s sort of a moratorium on even discussing the issue.

My particular take on the issue is staff service, all the way. Buffets are unsanitary, and leftovers are ineligible for donation or source waste reduction. I am, however, a bit wary of solutions to food waste that tend to quell discussion. There are still so many issues around not just American food consumption, but cafeteria food service that warrant further discussion that, I think, we should always be wary of the easy solution.

So far as food waste is concerned, there are fundamentally different economic paradigms operating in the a la carte and buffet dining situations. The former is a business model where sales are key; up-sell the customer, encourage greater consumption. It doesn’t matter if they eat the chicken fingers or throw them at one another, just so long as they paid for them. In the latter case it’s a pay to play system; you pay for access to the line, and they supply food concurrent with as many people as they predict would access the line during any given meal. In the buffet case, there is an economic motivation to reduce food waste, while in the a la carte system there is a motivation to increase sales.

Peace and Love,
Dan

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