1. Rethink Your Office Meal Program

If your office provides meals — whether daily lunches or the occasional celebration spread — there’s a huge opportunity to reduce waste and support more sustainable food systems. Here’s how:

• Work with local restaurants that prioritize seasonal ingredients, plant-forward menus, and compostable packaging.
• Avoid over-ordering by choosing a meal program that lets employees pre-select meals. This cuts down on leftovers and ensures people get food they’ll actually eat.
• Group deliveries instead of individual ones to reduce carbon emissions from multiple trips.

At Spork Bytes, we work with more than 70 Portland-area restaurants and offer flexible ordering options through our Spork Box platform — which helps reduce waste and support the local food economy.

We’re also working to renew our partnership with Bold Reuse, which would allow us to offer meals in reusable containers that get picked up, sanitized, and used again — completely eliminating packaging waste. If your office is interested in trying out waste-free boxed meals, let us know!

2. Reduce Packaging Waste

Single-use plastic forks and individually wrapped condiments may be convenient, but they come at a high environmental cost. A more sustainable office food program can:

• Switch to reusable or compostable packaging.
• Offer bulk condiments and utensils in kitchen areas instead of including them with every order.
• Use a vendor that partners with reuse providers (like Spork and Bold Reuse!).

Look for partners who can deliver meals in reusable containers and pick them up for cleaning afterward. It's the future — and it's already happening in Portland.

Look into services that help you recycle hard-to-recycle items, like Ridwell does here in the Pacific Northwest. If they'll service your office, you can save items like plastic film and styrofoam from ending up in the landfill.

3. Set Up Composting in Common Areas

You can’t have a food sustainability plan without a way to deal with scraps. Make compost bins just as accessible as trash cans — especially in kitchens and near lunch tables.

Don’t forget to post clear signage with what goes where. (Food-soiled napkins? Yes. Plastic wrap? No.) Your composting success depends heavily on employee understanding.

Check with your building management about composting options. If you're here in Portland, the city has some great resources for information you can share with your team.

4. Make Food Equity Part of the Conversation

Food sustainability isn’t just about waste — it’s also about access. Consider ways your office can:

• Donate safe, leftover food after large events.
• Support local farms and BIPOC-owned food businesses when choosing vendors.
• Offer inclusive menu options for all dietary needs to reduce waste from uneaten food.

These efforts make your corporate sustainability program more thoughtful, equitable, and community-driven.

5. Educate and Celebrate Progress

Just like with recycling, it takes a little ongoing education to build lasting habits. Post tips in your office kitchen, send occasional emails, or feature "sustainability spotlights" on vendors doing things right.

And when you hit milestones — like switching to all compostable packaging, or diverting 100 pounds of food scraps — share the news! Culture change happens when people feel proud of the progress.

Let’s Feed People — Not Landfills

Food should nourish people, not fuel climate change. With just a few adjustments, your office can enjoy delicious meals while supporting a healthier planet.

Want help designing a food program that’s convenient, local, and low waste? Reach out to the Spork Bytes team — we’ll help you find a sustainable setup that fits your team.

• Phone - (503) 821-7709
• Email - hellopdx@sporkbytes.com
• Office - 777 NE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97232
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