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Cost-Saving Tips: Saving energy over winter

8th Mar 2024 - 04:00
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Major supplier Bidfood is offering advice to help caterers cope with the continuing increase of energy prices rising to concerning levels coupled with the imminent end of government support on energy bills.

Reducing energy consumption in commercial kitchens is still a hot topic in food service. So rather than leaving the power on, empower your teams by creating a culture of energy saving in the kitchen. Discover the small steps you can take to shrink the charges on your bill, which when added together, equal big savings.

Turn off the lights

Needlessly keeping the lights on soaks up a lot of energy, so consider changing to dimmer switches, motion sensor lights or efficient LED lightbulbs to tackle this. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with putting up signs to remind your team to turn off the lights.

Assign energy champions

Allocate an ‘Energy Champion’ to each team to encourage others on best practice and solidify your energy saving culture. You can have a champion for the lights, oven, hobs and more.

Change how you use and buy ingredients

Find ways to cut the cooking time: par-boil potatoes before roasting, use frozen veggies instead of fresh and only boil the amount of water that you need.

Its guidance concludes: The freezer is your best friend: consider thaw and serve desserts rather than those you need to make, frozen mash instead of boiling potatoes and frozen grain salads rather than cooking the dehydrated grains.

Why jelly’s a money-saver

With up to 1.4m people in the UK following a vegan diet, McDougalls has just launched a vegan jelly that’s certified by the Vegan Society, providing operators in the public sector with an inclusive dessert option,” says Sarah Robb, foodservice marketing manager at Premier Foods.

Incorporating vegan ingredients into menus reduces the need and associated costs from buying multiple products to suit the wide range of dietary preferences and restrictions.

McDougalls Vegan Jelly Crystals are available in three flavours - orange, strawberry, and raspberry. Unlike traditional recipes that are made using a mix of boiling and cold water, McDougalls Vegan Jelly requires 100% boiling water with a mere two-hour setting time. This simplified preparation saves valuable time for caterers and reduces pressure on overstretched catering teams.

Vegan Jelly is a versatile dessert ingredient that can be enjoyed on its own, topped or set with fruit, or incorporated into indulgent desserts, such as trifles and knickerbocker glories.

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Written by
Edward Waddell