Smaller portions in Berlin: the way to save food!

Smaller portions in Berlin: the way to save food!

In German gastronomy, an alarming amount of two million tons of food ends up in the trash every year. This corresponds to about 20% of all food waste in the country. Experts therefore demand that restaurants offer smaller portions to reduce food waste. Despite this demand, according to a market check from the consumer center from 2023, only every fifth of the over 150 restaurants examined offers smaller portions. While 50% of the restaurants offer special senior citizens or children's plates, these are often only intended for certain target groups and are therefore not accessible to all guests.

A central reason for the lack of small portions in many restaurants is the associated organizational effort in the kitchen and fears that the quality of the dishes will suffer. Many restaurants work with standardized quantities, which makes a deviation from the usual portions rather impractical. As a rule, a main course weighs between 400 and 600 grams and consists of a main component, vegetables or salad as well as a saturation insert.

challenges and advantages of small portions

In addition, pricing in the catering trade in aspects such as raw material costs, overhead costs, profit share, service surcharge and VAT takes into account, which makes a reduction in price complicated in smaller portions. In practice, the concept "half a portion = half price" cannot often not be implemented economically, since other costs remain. An example, however, shows that in a sample a saving was possible for guests from 14 to 22 percent when smaller portions were offered.

Restaurants such as Adriatic in Potsdam already have an increase in the number of guests because they offer special senior courts in smaller portions. This development could help to reduce prejudices compared to the order of children's or senior citizens from adults. Smaller portions not only offer the possibility of reducing food waste, but can also bring health benefits by helping to avoid over eating.

remaining recycling and taking food

Another important aspect in the discussion about smaller portions is the taking of remains. Many restaurants serve more food than the guests actually need. A survey shows that only 4 of 153 restaurants examined have information on the remaining dishes in their menus. With a nationwide market check in the summer of 2022, the consumer advice centers had examined exactly this in order to check the information on the remaining emission in gastronomy.

After all, 50% of the households surveyed are encouraged by clues to the remaining emission, and 25% are helpful to refer to the menu or at the table. Dr. Birgit Brendel from the Saxons Consumer Center appeals not to be considered embarrassing, but as an act of appreciation for the food. In her opinion, the gastronomy should communicate offers for the rest of the demonstration.

summarized can be seen that smaller portions in gastronomy not only offer a way to reduce food waste, but also increase the attractiveness for guests. Restaurant owners and guests are required to have talks about portion sizes and taking food with you in order to find sustainable solutions. Further information on this topic can be found in the reports of rbb24, VZHH and nutrition umschau .