Rising food prices, increasing regulatory pressure and growing expectations around sustainability make food waste one of the easiest areas for care homes to improve. Reducing waste isn’t just a cost saving measure, it’s about people, quality of life and long term operational resilience.

Although just approximate, it’s estimated that around 30% of food is wasted in the care sector, while the global food system accounts for roughly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. These staggering figures are shifting how people view food: how we cook it, consume it and repurpose it.

But before anything can change within your home, you first need clarity. Understanding what’s being wasted, whether uneaten meals, preparation waste or items regularly thrown away, is essential. Monitoring this highlights where improvements are needed and supports sustainability reporting and helping you track progress.

Tips to cut food waste

Working with residents is another simple but powerful way to reduce waste. Regular feedback helps yo0u to design menus that match their taste and nutritional needs. It is just important to remember that in care, one size never fits all – especially in later life when appetites and preferences can vary dramatically. Offering flexible portion sizes also helps ensure residents receive what they comfortably enjoy.

Sourcing sustainably, through seasonal ingredients often has a much lower environmental impact as well as being more cost effective. Pairing this with versatile ingredients allows you to use produce across several dishes.

Creatively using leftovers goes a long way too. Potato skins can be roasted into crisp snacks. Vegetables can be blended into soups, purées or stews. Even stale bread can be turned into croutons or breadcrumbs. These small changes reduce waste, stretch budgets further and introduce residents to new dishes, all while keeping your kitchen workflow efficient with less clean-up.

Reducing food waste is one of the most practical ways to make care homes both more financially efficient and more environmentally responsible. Even small shifts like smarter portioning, better menu insight, seasonal purchasing can stack up quickly.

If you’d like help analysing your food spend or identifying opportunities to reduce waste, we’re always happy to support.