Source Reduction
Reducing wasted food at the source is one of the most effective ways to cut costs, improve operations, and keep food out of the trash
Best Management Practices
Check out RecyclingWorks MA’s Best Management Practices for detailed guidance and tactics businesses can use to prevent waste before it happens.
Who Can Benefit from Source Reduction?
EPA’s Wasted Food Scale
learn moreThe EPA’s Wasted Food Scale ranks source reduction among the most preferable strategies.
Why Focus on Source Reduction?
When food is wasted, so are the financial resources, labor, water, and energy that went into purchasing, preparing, and serving it. RecyclingWorks MA’s source reduction guidance notes that prevention can reduce both purchasing and disposal costs while improving efficiency.
In Massachusetts, food is also the largest material in the trash, which makes prevention especially important. The Best Management Practices page walks through these strategies in more depth.
Breaking Down Barriers to Source Reduction
A good first step is to understand what is being wasted, why, and where it is happening. We offer tools and assistance to help you get started
Source reduction works best when it’s built into existing operations. Small changes to ordering, inventory rotation, prep practices, batch cooking, portioning, or buffet setup can make a meaningful difference.
Preventing wasted food can lower disposal costs and reduce unnecessary purchasing. Acording to ReFED it can also support better kitchen efficiency as well as the staff and customer experience. Tracking a few common problem areas often helps businesses find quick wins.
Diverting food scraps is important, but prevention comes first. The EPA Wasted Food Scale prioritizes source reduction above downstream strategies because the best waste is waste that never gets created. Reduction can be part of a broader waste reduction plan.
Where to Start
01. waste tracking
Get a clearer picture of what is being discarded, when, and why.
02. meal planning & forecasting
Use past demand and production data to reduce overproduction.
03. Purchasing & inventory
Order more accurately, improve receiving practices, and optimize stock rotation.
04. back-of-house practices
Improve storage, preparation, labeling, and batch cooking.
A Story to Inspire
Success Story
UMass Amherst Dining Leads the Way in Food Waste Reduction
UMass Amherst Dining serves more than 16 million meals annually and has become a national leader in food waste reduction.
By focusing on source reduction, food donation, and composting, the university has significantly reduced waste and created a model for sustainable dining operations.
Read the StoryA Partner Perspective
“Reducing food waste at Southcoast Health has been a team effort focused on understanding where waste occurs and identifying opportunities for improvement. By measuring and tracking waste, our teams have made informed changes to purchasing, preparation, and food service practices. Through our composting program, compost generated from food waste was donated to support the growth of fresh, local produce for families experiencing food insecurity. Sustainability at Southcoast is about more than reducing waste. It is about being responsible stewards of resources and caring for the communities we serve.”
Additional Resources
Ready to take action on waste reduction?
Contact our team for free, customized assistance.