Go "trayless"
An increasing number of college and university foodservice operators are jumping on the "trayless dining" bandwagon. There are many reasons why operators are exploring the option of going trayless, and of those who have tried it, most say the reduction in food waste is a big plus.

Trayless dining at Alfred University in New York started as a student initiative to reduce waste, but the university found it also saved costs, said John Dietrich, Director of Dining Services.

"We never made it a money issue. Our goal was to reduce the waste – the cost savings was a side benefit," Dietrich said.

Since going trayless in January of this year, Alfred University has saved 168 pounds of wasted food, an equivalent of $253 per week or $3,800 per semester on cereal, bagels, sliced deli cheeses and French fries, Dietrich said.

With support from the students and the help of informational posters around the dining area that explained the positives of trayless dining, the program has been very successful with little complaints from the students.

"It's a little inconvenient, but the students understand that if we are going to be more environmentally friendly, it's going to be a little inconvenient," Dietrich said.

How to create portion perfect recipes¹
Establish standards for small, medium and large sizes for portions by weight, volume and count. Teach your employees how to use portion control devices, such as meat slicers and pan guides and train them on the cost impact of over-portioning.
Use the following as a guide to portion sizes:

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