Whatever your role is in the restaurant sector, you’ve probably had some experience with food preparation. It can be time-consuming, tiresome, and occasionally a question of guessing. Though you may consider handwriting food prep labels to be a necessary evil or even the best way to limit errors, we’re here to tell you otherwise. Here are some reasons you need a food prep labeling system.
Source: pinterest.com
Contents
You Save Time
Labeling and re-labeling hundreds of food products day after day may sound like a nightmare if you have a kitchen full of occupied, messy hands (with even messier handwriting). If it isn’t a nightmare, it can easily become one when “Best By” dates are estimated and timelines are skewed. This does not even take into consideration if you and your employees are utilizing the proper labels, pens, and markers that will last the life of the food item. However, you can be assertive that when you use a food prep labeling system, the labels will disintegrate when they’re no longer needed.
Alternatively, these labels can work in tandem to show both prep and production dates on the same label, either manually or printed. Not to mention, the food prep labeling system eliminates any guessing and approximation in Best By dates. The software used in these systems will automatically determine these dates for you down to the minute. And, if you add new products, the labeling system will accommodate them for you, meaning you won’t have to manually enter them.
It’s a Standard Practice
According to the USDA, labeling food products with dates is a best practice, but it is not always required by law unless you work with infant formula or in poultry or meat processing. Labels, on the other hand, are essential when it comes to health inspections. In certain circumstances, if your neglect is severe enough, your restaurant may be closed until you make the appropriate changes. A food labeling system will simplify labeling food items at all phases of their lives, from pallets to plates.
With three distinct options, you can simply keep track of the freshness of each food item.
Source: zdnet.com
Ensures the Safety of Your Customers
Sending out old, mislabeled food to clients is a formula for disaster. You should never cut back when dealing with consumers’ health, safety, and satisfaction. Even if your food is otherwise safe but not particularly fresh, your customers will be hesitant to return. Pushing the limit for food products’ life, even little, can allow harmful microorganisms to enter and customers to depart and never return.
As previously said, a food prep labeling system makes it simple to track the freshness of all of your food items fast and efficiently, regardless of how much turnover you have.
Ensure the Safety of Your Employees
Harmful microorganisms not only endanger your clients but also endanger your personnel. Despite the fact that foodborne bacteria are more likely to emerge from other unsanitary behaviors, they are not guaranteed to resist colonizing damaged food items. Without a good food labeling system, your staff may unwittingly house a sample from a defective food item and transfer it to other food products, coworkers, or their families at home. Because a food labeling system provides free software that works on various supported platforms (including iPhone, Android, and others), all of your staff can keep track of food items on their personal devices simultaneously.
Source: prep-wizard.com
It Assists You in Organizing Your Inventory
With the food labeling system’s clear, accurate, and easy-to-read labels, you’ll have a much tougher time wasting anything. You’ll have crystal-clear indicators of when to use a food item. This can help you organize your shelves on a “first-in, first-out” basis and determine specials and other menu modifications as needed. When products arrive from the truck, you’ll be able to regularly and precisely record the Best By dates for that specific food item until it’s time to start over with the next shipment.
It’s really that simple.
It is Inexpensive
A food prep labeling system will offer you a return on investment in less than half a year. Making a minor investment in a competent, efficient food prep labeling system now will quickly improve tomorrow’s profit for the reasons stated above. By eliminating the need to hand-write dozens and dozens of labels that may or may not be accurate, you can easily save $500 to $1,000 each year. Not to mention that these systems have a free app that can be utilized by an endless number of personnel in your restaurant on equipped devices.
Source: salon.com
Stay Organized
Looking for ideas for commercial kitchen organization? A food prep labeling system should be high on your priority list. Food labeling will assist you in keeping your pantry organized. Using food rotation labels allows you to keep all of your labeled vegetable storage containers and your fruits, meats, and other products with similar labels close to one another.
This type of system will help minimize foodborne infections by preventing cross-contamination. Labels can assist in guaranteeing that fruits and vegetables are stored separately from raw meat, preventing infections such as salmonella from contaminating your products.
Minimize Food Waste
Keeping track of food expiration dates in the prep kitchen means less waste and more money saved. Removable food safety labels are a low-cost method of improving inventory organization. With each prep item tagged with the correct information, your business will find it easy to stay up-to-date and serve the freshest food possible to your clients.
Source: reason.com
Endnote
Food safety is a serious concern for public health officials in the United States. Utilizing a food labeling system is a great way to maintain food safety. Labels serve as rules for employees to follow when picking up meal prep and cooking materials. When you own a restaurant, you don’t want your customers to get sick after eating your cuisine because it will jeopardize your business.
Food safety labels are also an empowering tool for consumers, who can read product labels and make informed purchasing decisions. Furthermore, utilizing a food prep labeling system can help your business enjoy all the above merits.
