The True Cost of Food Waste in Healthcare—and Practical Ways Reduce It

The Scale and Impact of Food Waste in Healthcare Facilities

Food waste in healthcare facilities is a pervasive issue with wide-ranging consequences. From plates returned barely touched to ingredients forgotten in storage, the potential for waste is significant. Excess portions prepared for special events frequently go uneaten, and improper use of equipment can spoil perfectly good food. But beyond the food itself, the resources required to produce, prepare, and serve it—such as energy, labor, and water—are also wasted, amplifying the overall impact.

In Canada alone, hospitals lose a staggering $45 million on food waste annually. For instance, a large hospital in Canada can generate over a tonne of food waste each day, with up to 50% of patient meals being discarded. The financial, environmental, and operational impact of food waste in healthcare underscores the urgent need for practical and effective solutions. Addressing inefficiencies in food preparation and delivery can go a long way in minimizing waste and improving overall efficiency (Value Chain Management Center, 2014). 

At apetito HFS, we understand that many healthcare facilities have the goal of reducing their food waste by 2025. We have written this article to spotlight key challenges and provide effective solutions for addressing inefficiencies in food management, such as meal forecasting, patient preferences, and portion control. Together, we can lead the way in transforming how food is managed and utilized within healthcare facilities, reducing waste and enhancing care standards.

Key Challenges in Food Waste Management

Food waste in healthcare facilities is driven by several key challenges, each of which poses unique difficulties for efficient food management:

1. Inaccurate meal forecasting is a major contributor, as frequent changes in patient numbers, dietary needs, and preferences make it difficult to accurately predict demand. This often results in overproduction, leading to wasted food, energy, and labor, or underproduction, which leaves patients without adequate meals and increases stress on staff (Strotmann et al, 2017). 
   
   
2. Serving meals that do not align with patients and residents preferences is another major challenge. Studies show a strong correlation between patient satisfaction and the sensory attributes of food, such as visual attractiveness, taste, texture, and temperature. When these attributes fall short of expectations, patients are less likely to eat their meals, leading to increased waste (Razalli et. al, 2021). 
   
   
3. Additionally, inappropriate portion sizes—either too large or too small—contribute to waste (Williams & Walton, 2011).
   
   
4. Lastly, limited patient engagement in menu planning can lead to a lack of alignment with patient preferences.

Practical Approaches from Montfort Hospital

We recently interviewed Linda Tobler, the Food Service Manager at Montfort Hospital in Ottawa, to gain insights into the effective strategies they employ for reducing food waste. Montfort Hospital focuses on several approaches: 

1. Allowing patients to customize their meals by requesting additional condiments or seasonings that align with their preferences.
   
   
2. Conducting regular food quality feedback surveys to understand patient likes and dislikes, helping refine menu offerings and address mismatched preferences.
   
   
3. Encouraging pre-ordering of meals a day in advance to improve meal forecasting and minimize overproduction.

Linda also mentioned that by 2025, they plan on utilizing a waste reuse biodigester to repurpose unavoidable food waste into compost, effectively reducing the hospital's environmental footprint.

She also shared her thoughts on the importance of reducing food waste:

"Food waste in healthcare is a challenge we cannot afford to ignore. We have a responsibility to set the standard for sustainability, even in the face of barriers. Reducing food waste is not just about environmental stewardship—it’s about improving health outcomes, respecting resources, and fostering a culture of accountability. Despite the hurdles, we must strive to innovate, collaborate, and inspire change, proving that responsible choices in healthcare can lead the way to a more sustainable future."

How apetito HFS Can Contribute to Reducing Food Waste

At apetito HFS, we understand how challenging it can be to manage food waste in healthcare settings while also meeting the diverse nutritional needs of patients and residents. That’s why we offer a variety of formats, pack sizes, and case configurations to support you with flexibility in meal planning and service. These include: 

1. Individual Complete Meals: Perfectly portioned meals offering a wide selection of soups, entrées, and desserts. These provide flexibility in portioning and allow for easy adjustment to changing patient needs, reducing the risk of overproduction and waste.
   
   
2. Bulk Products: Available in a variety of pack sizes and case configurations to help you prepare meals efficiently, minimize waste, and meet the demands of your healthcare facility.
   
   
3. Portioned Purée and Minced Options: Ideal for precise portion control, these options allow you to use as much or as little as needed for each service. They can be customized with different combinations to align with patient preferences and reduce overproduction.
   
   
4. Appetite Assist: Designed for patients who need more nourishment but may feel overwhelmed by large portions. These products ensure appropriate portion sizes while maintaining excellent nutrition and variety.

Reducing waste goes beyond food—it’s about caring for patients, protecting valuable resources, and ensuring that healthcare operations can continue to serve people more efficiently in the future.

Resources

“$27 billion” revisited - value chain management international. Value Chain Management Center. (2014). https://vcm-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Food-Waste-in-Canada-27-Billion-Revisited-Dec-10-2014.pdf 

Razalli, N. H., Cheah, C. F., Mohammad, N. M. A., & Abdul Manaf, Z. (2021). Plate waste study among hospitalised patients receiving texture-modified diet. Nutrition Research and Practice, 15(5), 655–671. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2021.15.5.655

Strotmann, C., Friedrich, S., Kreyenschmidt, J., Teitscheid, P., & Ritter, G. (2017, August 10). Comparing food provided and wasted before and after implementing measures against food waste in three healthcare food service facilities. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/1409 

Williams P. & Walton K. (2011). Plate waste in hospitals and strategies for change. e-SPEN, the European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Volume 6, Issue 6, e235-e241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclnm.2011.09.006