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OperationsPDF + Editable Spreadsheet

Food Waste Log

A food waste log for recording what you throw away, why, and what it cost, helping you cut waste and evidence safe disposal decisions.

Free downloadReady to useUK compliant
Food Waste Log
PDF + Editable Spreadsheet
7 sections included

Every bin of food thrown away is money lost, and the reasons usually repeat: over-prepping, spoilage, plate waste, and out-of-date stock. This free log lets you record what gets thrown away, why, and roughly what it cost, so you can spot the patterns and cut them, while also keeping a record of food discarded for safety reasons.

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Instead of filling in paper templates, Paddl generates food waste logs automatically with AI - complete with digital signatures, mobile access, automatic reminders, and audit-ready records for EHO inspections.

AI-generatedMobile appEHO-readyAuto reminders
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Why you need this

Food waste is one of the biggest controllable costs in a kitchen
Logging the reason shows whether the problem is prep, spoilage, or over-ordering
Recording stock discarded on safety grounds supports your due diligence
A few weeks of data turns guesswork about waste into clear, fixable patterns
It feeds better ordering and prep decisions that protect your margins

What's included

Waste log with item, quantity, and estimated cost
Reason column (spoilage, over-prep, plate waste, out of date, safety)
Date and meal-period columns to spot timing patterns
Disposal method note where relevant
Weekly total line for cost
Staff initials for each entry
Prompt to review the top causes weekly

How to use this template

1

Log as you bin

Record waste at the point it is thrown away, not from memory at the end of the week.

2

Always note the reason

The reason is the useful part, because it tells you whether to change prep, ordering, or storage.

3

Estimate the cost

Put a rough cost against each entry so the total reflects the real money involved.

4

Review weekly

Look at the top causes each week and make one change, then check the log to see if it worked.

Tips for getting the most from this template

Keep the log right next to the bin so logging takes seconds
Group small repeat items, because a daily handful of unsold pastries adds up over a month
Use the reason column to separate avoidable waste from unavoidable trimmings
Share the weekly total with the team, because visible numbers change behaviour
Paddl can capture waste against dishes and surface the costliest causes over time

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Related Paddl features

Paddl digitises everything in this template - and these features work together to keep your business compliant.

Daily RoutinesScheduled tasks with mobile completion and photo evidenceSuppliers & DeliveriesApproved supplier lists with delivery logging and traceability

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Paddl digitises everything in this template - and more. AI-generated plans, mobile completion, automatic alerts, and audit-ready records. No printing, no filing, no gaps.

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