How to Track Menu Item Shelf Life & Reduce Expiry Waste
Food waste from expired ingredients costs restaurants 4-10% of their food budget annually. The culprit? Poor shelf life tracking. Most restaurants lose track of when items arrive, how long they've been open, and what needs to be used first.
The FIFO Method That Actually Works
First In, First Out isn't just theory. Label every item with receiving dates using colored stickers (Monday = blue, Tuesday = green, etc.). Place new stock behind old stock, always. Train your team to grab from the front. This simple system prevents that $200 case of salmon from hiding in the back until it's too late.
Quick Wins for Expiry Management
- •Daily 10-minute walk-through checks on high-risk items (dairy, seafood, pre-cut produce)
- •Create a 'use tonight' shelf for items within 24 hours of expiry
- •Track patterns: if romaine expires weekly, you're over-ordering by 15-20%
Set phone reminders for opened sauces and dairy. A $12 gallon of cream costs $0 if used, $12 if it expires in 3 days unopened in the back corner.
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