title: Using a visual plate waste study to monitor menu performance.
abstract: Two visual plate waste studies were conducted in 1-week phases over a 1-year period in an acute care hospital. A total of 383 trays were evaluated in the first phase and 467 in the second. Food items were ranked for consumption from a low (1) to high (6) score, with a score of 4.0 set as the benchmark denoting a minimum level of acceptable consumption. In the first phase two entrees, four starches, all of the vegetables, sliced white bread, and skim milk scored below the benchmark. As a result six menu items were replaced and one was modified. In the second phase all entrees scored at or above 4.0, as did seven vegetables, and a dinner roll that replaced sliced white bread. Skim milk continued to score below the benchmark. A visual plate waste study assists in benchmarking performance, planning menu changes, and assessing effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Hospitality Management, University of North Texas, Denton 76203-1100, USA. pconnors@unt.edu
authors.forename: Priscilla L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Connors
authors.forename: Sarah B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Rozell
mesh_terms: D005518:Food Preferences; D005521:Food Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008612:Menu Planning; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014866:Waste Products