🗑️ One-quarter of all meals are wasted in hospitals! But it doesn't have to be that way – and a hospital in Austria is proving it. 🇦🇹✨
The "Gallic village" is called Schärding Hospital and impresses with its low waste volume. This is thanks to the commitment of the Upper Austrian Health Holding (OÖG), which has been promoting measures against food waste at its eight regional hospital locations for years – and they're doing it with fruit!
It's incredible what's possible when the kitchen team engages with the topic and looks for solutions!
👉 While the average food waste rate in hospitals across Austria in 2024 – meaning the percentage of food served that ends up in the trash – was 24%, the hospital in Schärding only reached 14%! The situation is similar in Germany, where massive food waste occurs daily not only in hospitals but also in the millions of meals served in daycare centers, schools, universities, and company canteens – not to mention the restaurant industry.
How did the kitchen team manage to reduce waste by almost 50%?
💡 Prevent waste from being generated in the first place: better planning of purchasing, warehousing & production processes
💡 Get creative with leftovers: Turn leftover pasta into pasta salad or cream strudel.
💡 Flexible adaptation: Dishes are freshly prepared as needed, recipes are continuously optimized.
💡 Strong communication: Nursing staff and kitchen crew coordinate closely; patients can cancel components and choose portion sizes individually.
The result: Less food waste, more satisfied patients, and a model project for greater sustainability in healthcare. 🌍👏
If one hospital can almost halve food waste – why not everywhere? Petra Becker, you've also been working on this issue for years, what are your learnings and wins?
Philipp von der Wippel , Sarina Spiegel , Dr. Marisa Hübner from ProjectTogether, it's your turn and I'm grateful to you - what have you found out so far?
According to a study by Project Drawdown , food waste is the simplest and most effective method of reducing greenhouse gases.
👉 What do you think: Should such measures be made mandatory in all hospitals and cafeterias?
Thanks to the kitchen team at Schärding Hospital and all the other people, organizations, and companies working towards a world like SIRPLUS , where everyone has enough to eat! It's also fantastic that you at MeinBezirk have taken up this issue and hopefully you'll be present at Anuga, Jan Philipp Hartmann . Here's the full article: https://www.meinbezirk.at/schaerding/c-lokales/klinikum-schaerding-verschwendet-kaum-lebensmittel_a7638913?ref=curate
#FoodRescue #ZeroWaste #Healthcare #Changemaker #EatRescued
