From Guest Blogger Gabby: Five Sustainable Restaurant Practices You Can Implement Right Now

Sustainability is a hot topic in the business world today, and there’s no exception when it comes to restaurants. After all, restaurants rely on the gifts of land and sea to keep their customers fed and their doors open.

Many restaurateurs have come to realize that environmentally friendly restaurants are increasingly important. Maybe you want to take steps towards sustainability in your restaurant, but you’re not sure where to start.

Read on for 5 tips to help take your restaurant from regular to sustainable.

What is a Sustainable Restaurant?

Before you can make your restaurant sustainable, you have to know what sustainability in restaurants is all about.

Sustainability is all about respecting the environment while providing the best in food and service to your customers. It’s about making sure that you’re using environmentally friendly equipment and that you’re using everything in your restaurant efficiently.

In the long run, a sustainable restaurant is more than just a tree hugger’s dream. It’s also an economically efficient and stable model. If you’re overwhelmed, use these simple tips to get your sustainability journey started.

Many people find getting into sustainable restaurants is a wonderful cleantech investment opportunity.

1) Embrace the Season

Using seasonal produce is a great way to make your restaurant more sustainable. When you buy locally, such as from produce growers like Boggiatto Produce, you can often negotiate for the right quantities of vegetables to reduce waste.

You also eliminate the need for treating, packaging and transporting food. Thankfully, seasonal eating has become very popular in food circles and can be a great way to attract customers in and of itself.

2) Become a Grower

In addition to buying produce locally, you should also consider growing some kitchen staples on your own.

If space at your restaurant permits, grow your own herbs or lettuces. If you have room to put in planting beds, consider growing root vegetables and other basic pantry items. Customers love knowing that they’re eating ingredients that came fresh from your garden.

3) Master Your Waste

Food and packaging waste can put a serious drag on your P&L report. Getting your waste under control should be one of your top priorities if you’re going sustainable.

Start by auditing your waste cycle and recording everything that you throw out. Identify waste issues and create strategies to address them. If you struggle with food waste, look into donating items you can’t use to a food bank or using scraps in a compost pile. Return all packaging to your suppliers.

4) Find Easy Ways to Reduce Water Usage

Water waste is a big issue in many restaurants. Make sure that your staff turn off faucets and taps when water is not in use. Encourage dishwashers to run loads only when the machine is full. Install automatic faucets in bathrooms and choose landscaping features that don’t need to be watered often.

Even the simplest steps can make a big difference when it comes to reducing water usage.

5) Choose Your Appliances & Paper Goods Carefully

Whenever possible, buy energy-saving appliances, light fixtures and lightbulbs.

You can have your menu printed in eco-friendly inks of recycle paper and choose recyclable to-go containers instead of styrofoam. You should also look for opportunities to eliminate paper goods altogether. Replace paper towels in restrooms with automatic hand dryers, or consider using cloth napkins in place of paper napkins.

A Special Note: Where Should You Buy Food for Your Restaurant?

The rule of thumb for buying food for a sustainable restaurant is to buy as local as possible. If you can’t buy items locally, do research and choose suppliers who use a sustainable business model.

Choosing sustainable suppliers is a great way to make a positive impact when you can’t follow the best-case scenario for an eco-friendly restaurant.

We hope you enjoyed these tips! You can also check the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve website to find more practical tips for creating a sustainable, planet-friendly restaurant.