Palomar Health Reduces Food Waste by 34%

Palomar Medical Center Escondido has reduced its food waste by 34% since implementing the Smart Kitchens San Diego initiative in October 2018. This reduction is a result of Palomar Health's Food and Nutrition Services' (FANS) charting and reporting on the amount and types of food left over at the end of each day. Analyses of this reporting allowed FANS leadership to use the data to improve production and inventory control.

Unused food that meets requirements is donated to the Foundry Food Pantry, a church-run food pantry that distributes free food to community members. Since the beginning of April, the pantry has been able to provide 4860 meals to families with more than 5800 pounds of food donated by Palomar Health.

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