Food Cost Control: Using the Flow of Food

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

The same philosophy can be used to control food costs. Meeting the food budget can seem an overwhelming and daunting task. One way to break this down into manageable pieces is to use the flow of food through the department. If the right procedures are followed throughout the flow of food, costs will be contained.

The flow of food includes purchasing, receiving, storage, preparation, cooking, holding, and serving. Depending upon the food items, there may also be cooling and reheating. These steps will be discussed throughout the month. In addition, how non-resident meals and food can affect food costs will be discussed.

A comprehensive menu system has the tools necessary to control costs at each step in the flow of food. Menus systems will be the topic of a future month as a good menu system also determines regulatory compliance and customer satisfaction.