Track what is thrown away, why and what it cost, so you can adjust prep and ordering.
Food waste is money in the trash. Most kitchens do not know how much they waste until they write it down for two weeks.
The reason column matters most: overproduction calls for lower pars, spoilage for better ordering or storage.
11 items. Use it on screen, or print it and fill it in by hand.
Two weeks of logging show that cooked rice is the largest waste item, mostly from overproduction on weekdays. The kitchen cuts weekday rice batches by a third.
Food waste is a direct cost that often hides in total food cost percentages. A log with reasons and costs shows where money is lost and supports decisions on pars, ordering, storage and portion sizes.
| Kitchen and date | Green Leaf Café, Minneapolis, Tuesday |
|---|---|
| Item | Croissants |
| Quantity and unit | 9 each |
| Unit cost | $0.85 |
| Reason | Overproduction, unsold at close |
| Station and initials | Bakery, RB |
| Weekly review | Croissants top item, $41.65; cut Tuesday bake by 6 |
The weekly review uses the logged unit cost to show the croissant total, turning a daily habit into a clear change to Tuesday baking.
The EPA’s Wasted Food Scale, published in 2023, ranks the options for food that cannot be sold. Preventing waste is best, then donating surplus food, then uses such as animal feed, composting and anaerobic digestion, with landfill and incineration last. The federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects businesses that donate in good faith, and the Food Donation Improvement Act of 2022 extended that protection to some direct donations. Several states, including California, Massachusetts and Vermont, restrict sending food scraps or organic waste to landfill for some businesses, so check your state.
Add one more field to each entry: where the item went, such as donation, compost or trash. After a month you can see how much of the waste had a better outlet and which items could be offered to a food rescue group before they spoil.
Yes, if it takes seconds.
Spoiled, overproduction, returned, dropped, expired.
No, the goal is to fix the system.
Sometimes; check food donation rules.
Multiply the quantity wasted by the unit cost from your invoices. For example, 3 lb of chicken at $2.80 per pound is $8.40 of waste. Logging the unit cost each time makes weekly totals simple and shows which items cost the most.
Yes, because food left on customers’ plates points to portion size or quality, while kitchen waste points to prep and storage. Use a separate reason code for plate waste. A pattern of one dish coming back half eaten is worth a look at the recipe or portion.
Often yes, if it was held at safe temperatures and the receiving organization accepts it. Ask local food rescue groups what they take.
More for the same job
Use the food waste log for the record you need today. To see who clocked in, and when, book a demo of EZTime.