Food Waste Prevention at Cafe Mac

Have you ever wondered why lines in Cafe Mac tend to be so long? This is because chefs cook in small batches by preparing only what is needed and in turn minimizes food waste. In fact, Cafe Mac minimizes food waste in many more ways than just one. A few other ways we fight food waste include: preparing food from scratch, going trayless, tracking daily kitchen waste, and diverting 80% of food from landfills. 

How is food diverted from landfills?

Macalester has three main outlets for leftover food to prevent waste: pig feed, food recovery, and compost. Our pig feed program began in 2008, and since its implementation, food waste has decreased significantly. In this program, food scraps are picked up by Barthold Farm, cooked in a special truck, and then transformed into feed for free range pigs. Our food recovery program is managed in collaboration by the Food Recovery Network and Bon Appetit. Once a week, a group of volunteers weigh, label, and package the leftover food which is then picked up by Loaves of Fishes, a non-profit that provides meals to those in need across Minnesota. Lastly, our compost is picked up by our waste hauler and then brought to the Mulch Store in Empire Township.

Bon Appetit works hard to maintain sustainable efforts both in and out of the kitchen. Cafe Mac is committed to food waste prevention and does its part to fight food waste everyday. What can you do to help?

Limit your food waste by: 

• Only taking what you can eat.
• Leaving your food on your plate so that we can feed the pigs.
• Composting your napkins, coffee stirrers, and tea bags. 

This post was written by Lianna Goldstein, a student worker in cafe Mac working on sustainability and student engagement.