How to Tackle Food Waste through Equipment Solutions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates food waste in the United States to be about 30 to 40 percent of the food supply, according to a report from restaurant.org.

That’s a staggering number, and tactics for addressing food waste at restaurants are multi-faceted.

As a foodservice equipment manufacturer, Antunes is in a position to help restaurants address food waste challenges by providing reliable equipment that helps ensure food is cooked properly and consistently.

When it comes to minimizing food waste, the benefits of utilizing Antunes equipment include:

Portion Control

Portion control has been a key for foodservice operations looking to reduce food waste. For example, Antunes Egg Stations can come with various sizes and shapes of rings, which produce a perfectly-sized egg to meet the restaurant’s requirements ― resulting in no product waste.

Speed of Service

By reducing the amount of time between the order and the customer having the product in hand ― whether through a delivery service, at the drive thru or via counter service ― operators can balance quality and speed to keep customers coming back for a superior experience. Antunes steamers cook food to order quickly and easily, eliminating the need for time-consuming methods that require constant attention. Restaurants preparing pasta have a special advantage when using Antunes steamers in place of less precise and less energy efficient methods such as using boiling water on a stovetop.

Proper Holding

If a product has been held too long, many restaurants will not serve it. Warmers contribute to longer holding times at the appropriate temperature, helping to prevent waste. These pieces of equipment feature a precision thermostat to ensure both food quality and safety.

Consistent Cooking

Antunes toasters allow operators to precisely dial in the temperature and amount of time needed to toast to their exact specifications. With this level of toasting consistency, there is no waste due to over-toasted products or inefficiencies from having to run buns through the toaster multiple times.

Accurate Timing

Antunes timers have helped operations around the world improve on food quality and consistency. Easy to install with no electrical outlet required, these cooking and holding timers are fully programmable, allowing operations to customize them specifically for their menu options.

Smaller Footprints

Equipment with small footprints allows for more countertop space for food preparation, which makes the cooking process more efficient. The efficiencies from having the right products in the right place can contribute to decreasing food waste.

In order to offer the best equipment solutions, Antunes manufactures its own controls, which provide operators with exact standards for food preparation ― contributing to the reduction of food waste and helping to address a number of needs for today’s operators.

See how Antunes addresses a variety of operational challenges with customized product solutions in these case studies.