Weddings, events, office parties, and birthday parties can produce hundreds of pounds of waste that can have a huge ecological impact. Customers seek vendors who provide sustainable solutions, reduce wastage, and reduce their carbon footprint. Caterers who provide eco-friendly solutions are in high demand. For caterers, going green can bring in more business and also help protect the environment by reducing the carbon footprint.
In this article, we discuss how to do catering in an eco-friendly manner, eco-friendly food catering tips, eco-friendly catering supplies, and green planet catering tips.
How To Do Catering In An Eco-Friendly Way
Like most businesses, catering businesses are also going green. Currently, caterers and event organizers are looking for ways to serve their customers in an environmentally-friendly manner. Customers are also more aware of the environment and look for eco-friendly solutions for events. Catering services provide eco-friendly solutions like energy-efficient ranges, ovens, and cold food tables to reduce their overall carbon footprint. They are also pushing for more sustainable food solutions like a plant-based menu for events.
Eco-friendly Food Catering Tips
Here are some essentials tips for catering services to become an environmentally friendly business:
Vegan and Vegetarian Foods: Vegan and vegetarian foods are healthier and have a less ecological impact on the environment than meat. The production of meat is resource-intensive. You will need vast amounts of land for meat production. Also, cows release around 220 pounds of methane and other greenhouse gases. Breeding more cows for butchering will lead to an increase in greenhouse gases, eventually leading to high levels of environmental pollution. Overall, serving less meat saves valuable farmland and decreases carbon emissions.
Sustainable Foods: Cater eco-friendly food items like seasonal fruits and vegetables that can be transported effortlessly. Growing and transporting out-of-season foods is less efficient. You will need artificial lighting, heating, and cooling solutions to grow out-of-season fruits and vegetables. This can drive up operational costs and energy usage and negatively impact the environment.
Alternatively, you can serve high-demand foods to promote sustainability. Seafood has a lower impact on the environment than most land-based foods. Seafood is carbon-efficient. Wild-caught seafood is less harmful than other food types.
Locally Grown Produce: Always purchase food from local sources. With local sourcing, you can support neighborhood farmers and reduce the environment's impact. Purchasing food from factory farms and manufacturers can lead to the generation of excess waste. Factory farms also generate high amounts of greenhouse gases like methane. At the same time, local farmers find effective ways to reduce food wastage. Purchasing locally grown produce also reduces transportation requirements. You can reduce the overall carbon emission with locally sourced produce.
Reduce Wastage of Foods: Catering businesses waste food and supplies. Food wastage can have a deep ecological impact on the environment. Food waste is mostly transported from the venue to a landfill. Rotten foods emit high amounts of methane and other greenhouse gases. Food wastage leads to more consumption and production. Reducing food waste can help you save money and the environment. You can use portable buffet tables instead of the traditional method of serving the guests at tables. With portable buffet tables, you can increase your efficiency and save on resources. You can also donate the excess food from an event and compost waste products instead of throwing them out. Additionally, you can implement portion control measures and FIFO(First In First Out) methodologies for serving customers.
Essential Eco-friendly Catering Supplies
With eco-friendly catering supplies, you can reduce your carbon footprint significantly. Most environmentally-friendly catering supplies are compostable and can be absorbed by the soil. Here we list some essential eco-friendly supplies that you can use for your catering business:
Biodegradable Flatware: You can purchase contemporary hemp-based biodegradable disposables that are environmentally friendly. Currently, huge quantities of discarded plastic flatware and disposables affect our oceans and environment. New biodegradable disposables break down easily and get absorbed by the soil. Additionally, you can purchase bamboo, wood, and biodegradable paper flatware. Most biodegradable products are aesthetically designed for catering purposes.
Reusable Tableware: Most catering services are currently opting for reusable tableware made of porcelain or glass. With glass and porcelain tableware, you can reduce the amount of wastage. For cleaning reusable tableware, you can use natural cleaning solutions like vinegar and lime.
Beverage Stations: Replace plastic water, soda, and juice bottles with large beverage dispensers. Plastic bottles mostly become a part of landfills which are detrimental to the environment. You can dispense liquids to thirsty crowds in biodegradable cups for events and occasions. Serve water and beverages when requested to conserve water and essential supplies. With biodegradable cups and large dispensers, you can save large amounts of plastic and create a smaller carbon footprint.
Paper Cups: You can replace existing plastic and non-biodegradable cups with environmentally friendly cups. Biodegradable paper cups are absorbed by the earth quickly. These biodegradable cups and other eco-catering supplies are harder to procure than plastic materials. You can connect with the right set of vendors for biodegradable disposable supplies that will make a huge impact in the long run.
Green Planet Catering Tips
Here is a list of green planet catering tips and solutions that can reduce environmental impact:
Green Kitchen Equipment: You can purchase commercial ranges, walk-in coolers, and ovens with ratings from Energy Star. Star-rated equipment consumes less power than standard kitchen equipment. You can reduce the overall carbon footprint with efficient electric commercial kitchen equipment. Less energy usage also reduces energy bills. For example, gas-powered ranges and grills use less energy than electric ranges and grills.
Green Vehicles: Caterers need vehicles to transport essential supplies and food items. You can service your existing fleet regularly to make them more fuel-efficient. You can also include all-electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles in your fleet for a reduced carbon footprint. Additionally, with an efficient fleet, the cost of transportation will reduce significantly in the long run.
Green and Natural Cleaning Solutions: You can use natural cleaning solutions that are ecologically friendly. For example, vinegar is a natural cleaning solution. Additionally, vinegar is highly useful for cleaning utensils and equipment. Vinegar is not harmful to humans and is environmentally friendly. Most catering services and restaurants opt for chemically-induced cleaning materials that pollute the water. These hazardous chemicals can create a deep ecological impact. You can save the planet from getting polluted with vinegar, lime solutions, and various natural cleaning solutions. Green cleaning solutions are less expensive than chemical-based cleaning solutions.
Create a Green or Eco-friendly Plan: Devise a solid plan to start a green eco-friendly catering service. Most green plans can be expensive initially, but in the long run, going green is more sustainable. With green habits, you will save more money over time. You can also reduce your overall carbon footprint with a sustainable green plan for catering services. Additionally, you can monitor your monthly carbon footprint, utilities, and gas usage before devising the plan.
Going green with your catering business can be hectic, but it pays huge dividends in the long run. Break down the essential requirements into small steps and implement your plan. You can reduce the food industry's carbon footprint drastically with green catering solutions. With greener choices, you can save the planet from a deep ecological impact, keep your customers happy, and reduce carbon emissions.
