Sustainable Dining - Waste Reduction
Proper food handling can reduce wasted food significantly by making sure that food does not have to be thrown out because of avoidable mistakes.
Dining Services works hard to ensure staff is properly trained, first and foremost to ensure the safety of the students and staff, but also to reduce the amount of food that is thrown away. This training includes Knife Handling/Cutting Techniques, to reduce the amount of food wasted during food preparation; a Servsafe® Certification Course which focuses on the proper handling of food including proper storage temperatures for various types of food and "First in - First out" to ensures the oldest product is used before the newest.
The trayless program in the dining hall has significantly reduced food waste, saved thousands of gallons of water and cleaning supplies, energy, as well as curbing over consumption. Other efforts include attention to serving size - where the staff uses scales and portion controlled scoops and spoons. We also pre plate meals as much as possible on five inch plates to control waste and to suggest an appropriate balance of protein, vegetables and starch.
Finally, Dining Services staff members are encouraged to be creative in their use of leftovers for soups or other daily chef creations. When leftovers are unavoidable, Dining Services donates unused food to the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) Food Bank three times a week. .