Restaurants are in a remarkable position to set a sustainable example, starting with the heart of the establishment, the commercial kitchen. 

The topic of food waste is of particular relevance to conscious restaurants. Beyond leaving a carbon footprint, food waste also hinders efficiency and ultimately, profitability. 

Composting and mindful purchasing are two ways to manage food waste, with a sustainable commercial kitchen makeover going the extra mile. 

Design strategies to watch include storage and organization overhauls, complete with new FIFO shelving. Eco-minded restaurants are upgrading refrigeration with temperature recovery and humidity control. Meanwhile, strategic layouts are helping to solve the over-refrigeration problem that can lead to food waste. 

Here are 8 sustainable changes to discuss with your commercial design team. 

1. Reduce Waste With FIFO Shelving

Kick-start your vision for a sustainable kitchen with a complete organization overhaul. 

FIFO shelving, which stands for first-in and first-out, ensures all food stock is used on time. By moving earlier expiration dates to the front of the shelf, you ensure no food item expires. This strategy also prevents kitchen staff from having to search for items.     

2. Improve Visibility With Clear Bins

Opaque-colored inventory bins often force staff to rummage for items. Swap them out for clear labeled containers that provide more visibility. This will make it much easier to gauge inventory quantities on fast-paced days. 

Of course, make sure these bins are FDA-approved and paraben-free. There are also plant-based (Polylactic Acid) containers made from sugarcane and corn resin. 

Next, upgrade your labeling system with digital shelf-life tracking. Kitchen managers will receive an alert when a stock is nearing its expiration date or when the peak freshness window is ending.  

3. Maintain Herb Freshness With Micro-Storage

Herbs wilt quickly in the wrong environments, leading to even more food waste. They need high humidity levels to thrive. Keep your herbs (and other delicate greens) fresher for longer with vertical herb keepers or other specialized containers that can maintain required humidity levels. 

4. Upgrade Your Commercial Refrigerators

Take stock of your refrigerator situation. This is where a lot of food and energy waste takes place. 

For starters, ensure you have ENERGY STAR refrigerators. This means the fridge is recognized by the U.S. government as energy efficient. 

You can learn more about these types of refrigerators by researching sources like True commercial refrigeration at the Restaurant Supply website, where you'll also find information on stock visibility, eco-friendly hydrocarbon refrigerant, and temperature management.      

5. Prevent Spoilage With Temperature Recovery

When you work in an energetic kitchen, it's easy to forget how often refrigerator doors are opened throughout the day. Cold air is frequently escaping, allowing warm air to come in contact with food. Unintentionally, your kitchen is increasing the risk of bacteria and food waste. 

Improved fridge organization only solves part of the problem by reducing the time spent on searching for items. Since the doors are the warmest part of the refrigerator, keep opened self-stable items, like condiments, toward the front. Meat and dairy must remain in the most temperature-stable refrigerators.   

There are also fridges with sensors that immediately detect decreasing cold air levels and respond by pumping cold air back into the unit. Your refrigerated food isn't exposed to sudden thermal changes, retaining its freshness and integrity.      

6. Create Micro-Climates With Digital Humidity Control

Food can quickly succumb to excessive dryness (dehydration) or too much moisture. Consider commercial units that allow you to create kitchen micro-climates in the same space. Your leafy greens need higher moisture levels to stay fresh and crisp, but certain vegetables like onions require low humidity to prevent molding.  

If you want to prevent cold freezer air from migrating to the fridge, introduce a dual evaporator and compressor system that can separate airflows. This will protect your fresh produce from drying out too quickly. 

7. Leverage Undercounter Units

If your establishment serves customers at a counter, you can prevent additional cold air waste by installing beverage units underneath the counter space. This protects higher-risk items from temperature imbalances. You can also store other low-risk items in undercounter fridges, like individual yogurt cups.    

8. Create a Cellar Zone

There's a good chance you're losing food due to over-refrigeration. 

Fruits and vegetables can lose their flavor in the fridge, which is often the case with tomatoes, plums, avocados, and bananas. Instead, create temperature-controlled cellar zones in your commercial kitchen. These zones aren't as cold as refrigerators but are significantly cooler than the main kitchen floor.   

Become a Sustainable Leader in the Community

Do you want your establishment to make a meaningful contribution to sustainability?

Start by significantly reducing food waste, proving to the community that you're making real strides through organization, storage, eco-friendly fridges, temperature recovery, micro-climates, undercounter units, and cellar zones. 

Conscious design is key! Follow our blog to discover even more inspiration for eco-minded projects. 

Our writers like to find the latest trends for interiors and home improvement. We launched the award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2015 and the luxury property and interior decor blog www.alltheprettyhomes.com in 2024 to cover all your interior design, travel and lifestyle inspiration needs.