What you need for a food waste campaign

A food waste campaign needs more than donated food. You need enough serving equipment, chilled storage, preparation tools, signs and waste containers to keep the flow safe and orderly. Plan separate work areas for receiving, checking, weighing, cooling and distribution. Count tables, reusable tableware and cooking equipment against the expected number of visitors and volunteers, and check power access before buying or borrowing electrical items.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 10
Chairsqty 40
High tablesqty 4
Party tentsqty 2

Tableware

Reusable platesqty 120
Reusable bowlsqty 120
Reusable cupsqty 150
Reusable cutleryqty 150
Serving spoonsqty 12
Serving jugsqty 6

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 8
Chef's knivesqty 8
Mixing bowlsqty 8
Food warmersqty 6
Induction hobsqty 4
Large cooking potsqty 4
Frying pansqty 4

Equipment

Coolersqty 8
Digital thermometersqty 4
Scalesqty 2
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6
Handheld microphone

Lighting

LED lampsqty 8
String lightsqty 4

Decorations

Information boardsqty 8
Directional signsqty 10
Tableclothsqty 10
Name stickersqty 150

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 8
Waste sorting binsqty 4
Washing-up tubsqty 4
Cleaning bucketsqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Sugar - 2 kilograms
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange juice - 12 cartons
- Apple juice - 8 cartons
- Spa Blauw - 8 bottles
- Sparkling water - 6 bottles
- Lemons - 3 kilogram
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Bread - 20 loaves
- Whole wheat bread - 10 loaves
- Bread rolls - 80 pieces
- Hummus - 12 tubs
- Cream cheese - 8 tubs
- Young cheese - 4 kilograms
- Boiled ham - 3 kilograms
- Peanut butter - 4 jars
- Strawberry jam - 4 jars
- Eggs - 10 cartons
- Rice - 10 kilograms
- Pasta - 8 kilograms
- Diced tomatoes - 20 cans
- Chickpeas - 12 cans
- Kidney beans - 10 cans
- Vegetable stock - 2 packs
- Olive oil - 3 liters
- Sunflower oil - 2 liters
- Salt - 1 kilogram
- Black pepper - 250 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Curry powder - 250 grams
- Italian herbs - 250 grams
- Garlic - 1 kilogram
- Onions - 5 kilograms
- Fresh parsley - 10 bunches
- Mayonnaise - 4 jars
- Ketchup - 4 bottles
- Mustard - 3 jars
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Apples - 8 kilograms
- Bananas - 6 kilograms
- Grapes - 5 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 20 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 5 kilo
- Carrots - 5 kilograms
- Lettuce - 12 heads
- Bell peppers - 30 pieces
- Mushrooms - 4 kilogram
- Frozen peas - 4 kilogram
- Yogurt - 8 kilograms
- Honey - 2 jars
- Zwiebak - 6 packs
- Paper napkins - 500 pieces
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Reusable food containers - 120 pieces
- Labels - 200 pieces
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Disinfectant - 4 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Compostable bags - 50 pieces
- Nitrile gloves - 4 boxes
- Hairnets - 150 pieces
- Bandages - 2 boxes

Tips

Plan at least one serving place for every 50 expected visitors, then add a separate table for receiving and weighing donations. This prevents incoming food from being mixed with food ready for distribution.
For chilled food, allow roughly 1 cooler or equivalent cold-storage unit per 20–30 litres of food, and have at least 1 digital thermometer for every storage area. Check capacity before the campaign day.
Bring 1 reusable plate, bowl, cup and set of cutlery per planned serving at minimum, plus about 10% extra for replacements. Count serving spoons separately so they do not disappear into the general tableware.
Allow 1 waste bin for each main work area—receiving, kitchen, serving and exit—and arrange residual-waste transport before the campaign. Four clearly marked bins are a practical starting point for a small distribution.
Prepare one information board and enough directional signs to cover every turn from the entrance to registration, food distribution and waste collection. Put up labels before opening so volunteers do not have to explain the route repeatedly.

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy for a food waste campaign?: Plan for food receiving, checking, weighing, chilled storage, preparation and distribution. The core shopping list includes reusable tableware, serving utensils, coolers, digital thermometers, scales, kitchen tools, signs, lighting and waste bins.
How many plates and cups do I need for a food distribution event?: Start with 1 plate, bowl, cup and cutlery set per planned serving, then add 10% extra. For 100 servings, prepare at least 110 of each reusable item where possible.
How many coolers are needed for donated food?: The number depends on volume and available cooling capacity, but allow roughly 1 cooler or equivalent cold-storage unit per 20–30 litres of food. Check the temperature of every storage area with a digital thermometer before distribution.
When should I arrange waste transport for a food waste campaign?: Book transport for residual waste before sending final event instructions, preferably at least 1–2 weeks in advance. Confirm the pickup time again 2–3 days before the campaign so waste does not remain at the venue.

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