Assess Your Surplus Edible Food

If your business is covered under SB 1383, the first step is understanding what surplus edible food you generate. This helps you find the right food recovery partner and set up an efficient donation process.

What to Look For

• Prepared but unserved food — Meals, sides, and items from buffets, catering events, or daily production that go unserved
• Perishable inventory — Items approaching sell-by or use-by dates that are still safe to eat
• Overproduction — Bread, baked goods, prepared dishes made in excess of demand
• Cosmetically imperfect items — Produce or products that are safe and edible but don't meet display standards
• Event surplus — Food from meetings, conferences, or gatherings

How to Estimate Volume

• Track what gets discarded over a one- to two-week period
• Separate edible surplus from non-edible waste (trimmings, spoiled items)
• Weigh or estimate quantities by category
• Note when surplus occurs most often (end of day, after events, specific days of the week)

This information will help you communicate with food recovery organizations about what you can donate and how often.

Next Steps

1. Find a Food Recovery Partner — Connect with organizations that can receive your surplus food
2. Establish a Donation Process — Set up agreements and procedures
3. Track Donations and Keep Records — Meet monthly record-keeping requirements

Resources

• Best Practices to Reduce Surplus Edible Food
• Surplus Food Donation Guide for Food Service Providers