Teaching students how to reduce food waste is important. I talked about this topic two years ago when I discussed how to introduce students to food waste reduction concepts through Value Added Demonstrations. These are mini lessons where students learn new concepts concurrently with a larger, main lesson.

Pineapples are used in many dishes here in Florida. Beyond the sustainability concept of composting the rinds and core, I teach students how to make fermented tepache. This is an effervescent cool and refreshing drink that is an extra treat to make the meal experience more fun. All you need are spices (cinnamon is the most traditional), sugar to help with the fermentation process and pineapple rinds and core. That’s it! It’s a little over-the-top drink that students really enjoy.

If you have time, fermenting it twice creates a bubbly effect like sparkling wine. Click here for the tepache recipe I teach my students.

I would also like to again share a document that chef instructors and lab assistants use here at Valencia College. It is full of tips and ideas for incorporating sustainability and food waste reduction in the culinary kitchen lab. It helps us be successful in instilling creative, outside-the-box thinking in a safe and productive manner.

Click here for Waste Not Want Not – The Poinciana Campus Initiative to Reduce Food Waste.

Chef Jennifer M. Denlinger, PhD., CCC, CHEP, is the Culinary Management Program Department Chair at the Poinciana Campus of Valencia College. She is also the vice president of ACF’s Central Florida Chapter. Additionally, Chef Denlinger earned the 2020 Innovation Award, sponsored by CAFÉ and the Idaho Potato Commission, for a creative escape room based on safe food handling procedures. She also earned the 2021 Green Award sponsored by the United Soybean Board and was runner up in 2021 for the Postsecondary Education of the Year sponsored by Sysco Corporation.