Food for Thought

We’ve all experienced it – you reach into the back of your refrigerator and realize a sad, forgotten food has now become a moldy (and occasionally scary) science experiment. You’re not alone – up to 40% of the food that is produced is wasted and each American wastes as much as 238 pounds of food each year (equal to about $1800). Thankfully, there are many ways to reduce waste in your kitchen. Try out these tips for shopping and preparing food mindfully to help you to stop wasting food…and money. 

Every recipe contains a story, held together by long-held cultural traditions, inspiration sparked by a new idea or ingredient, and countless memories of meals shared together with loved ones. This AAPI Heritage Month, we are excited to share Tofu Tales: A Collection of Recipes from Bon Appétit Chefs for AAPI Heritage Month.   

This Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Bon Appétit Management Company is celebrating the vast culture and history of tofu across many Asian cuisines. There’s no better opportunity to highlight this special ingredient than through our very own Locally Crafted partnerships with family-owned tofu businesses.

Generally, producing animal-based foods like beef, lamb, and dairy products creates more carbon emissions than plant-based foods like beans, legumes, and whole grains – and is why shifting to a diet centered on plants is one of the most impactful ways to combat climate change.  

From growing to processing, transporting to storage, and managing excess food waste, each step in the food chain produces carbon emissions.   

This Earth Day, we are flipping the switch to plants to lower our individual and collective carbon footprint! We are challenging our guests to use this Earth Day as an opportunity to consider climate-friendly alternatives throughout our cafés.

 "I was the lone ranger out there," said Bon Appétit Founder and CEO Fedele Bauccio, speaking to how the national dialogue around food system issues has developed in the 39 years since he started the company. Fedele was on the lineup at a daylong seminar hosted by Emory University and Spelman College, in collaboration with Food Tank, the nonprofit food think tank dedicated to food system reform.

In the past two years as a Fellow, I’ve engaged hundreds of college students around food waste issues to raise awareness and inspire others to address this problem. I’ve learned and shared how Bon Appétit is constantly evolving our commitment to addressing food waste companywide. And I’ve learned about how other players in this space are taking action, both on the ground and through legislation.  

Who knew making ice cream could double as an arm workout? The Colorado Springs community asked this very question as they shook plastic bags of heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and rock salt back and forth for ten minutes straight to make a classic vanilla ice cream (sprinkles optional).