Introduction
Reducing food waste in the meetings and events industry happens through small, intentional changes, not sweeping declarations. MIC’s participation in the U.S. Food Waste Pact’s Low Waste Events pilot showed how practical, human-centered adjustments can dramatically reduce waste while improving operations and guest experience. When venues and planners begin with simple steps, transformation becomes not only possible, but inevitable.
Why Small Steps Matter in Reducing Food Waste
Cliches are cliche for a reason. These are sayings that can seem overused to the point they no longer mean anything; however, there is wisdom there. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. An ocean is comprised of individual drops. And many other cliches encouraging us to move forward, overcome difficulties, and have hope that change is possible. Inevitable, even.
We must lean into these cliches in our journey to reduce food waste. Studies show food waste in the US is about 35%. This was about the same statistic I read when I started this work almost 10 years ago. We haven’t moved the needle.
The Human Side of Sustainability Efforts
My take is always one of change management. Yes technology, and now AI, play a significant role, but until all staff, and for that matter all attendees and planners, are robots, we must deal with the human factor. With the fear of running out and decades of catering operations that are fundamentally the same, it’s no wonder not much has changed. When I begin to discuss sustainability with those who are newer to these practices, there is an instant sense of overwhelm. People will resort to fight or flight. They’ll either explain why these methods don’t pertain to them and won’t work or they’ll come up with clever ways to end the conversation and move on to another topic.
Identifying the Most Wasted Foods in Events
Starting with the Simplest, Safest Changes
If we all agree these are the biggest problems, then these are the safest, most approachable places to start. People are motivated to see change in these areas and are less inclined to resist suggestions or experimentation.
A Real-World Example from MIC’s Annual Event
We saw this play out beautifully at MIC’s conference in March at the Colorado Convention Center. Prior to the event, there was a tasting, which afforded us the opportunity to spot and discuss potential sources of food waste. This was a brilliant! We were able to see in real time adjustments that would make a difference.
The Power of One Adjustment: The Salad Dressing Case
For example, an industry norm is to set a 10 top table with two salad dressing vessels. This is muscle memory, it’s just what we do, everywhere, every day. But if we take a moment to step back and question that practice, take some measurement, and experiment with adjustments, we may well find significant reductions are within reach, with no negative implications for guest experience.
This is a perfect example of a small change with significant impact. This essentially prevented 50% waste. In fact, in subsequent audits conducted for the US Food Waste Pact’s Low Food Waste Pilot, we consistently saw venues serve about 2 ounces of salad dressing per person. Sometimes multiple flavors were offered, doubling or even tripling the potential for excess.
However, the data we gathered shows average consumption of about a half an ounce per person of salad dressing. This means some venues are serving as much as four times the amount of salad dressing needed. One convention center could prevent as much as 2,000 pounds of salad dressing waste annually with this one adjustment.
