DC-area restaurants celebrate Food Waste Prevention Week with special, waste-fighting dishes

Food Waste Prevention Week is almost here! Across the country, you’ll find great events, webinars, contests and get-togethers with one central goal: cutting the staggering volume of food that goes to waste every year. In addition to a great slate of local events, a number of Washington, DC-area restaurants are celebrating by highlighting dishes that rescue perfectly good food. Here’s where to get some sustainable bites: 

Brightwood Pizza, Washington, D.C. - During Food Waste Prevention Week, look for menu items with a special symbol – those dishes contain upcycled ingredients, like surplus mushrooms, spice powder made from the pulp left after hot sauce making and a lime powder made from ground sun-dried lime husks. For more check out this write-up on RescueDish.org.

Teaism, multiple locations in Washington, D.C. - Teaism is featuring a bread pudding made from surplus ginger scones. Order them on the menu all week and sample them at their Dupont Circle location during the Tea With Gardener Brian event on Saturday, April 6 (register here). 

Equinox, Washington, D.C. Come to Equinox for Silverio’s Empanadas (made with trim from beef short rib and hanger steak), Creamy Sunchoke Soup (accented with crisped sunchoke peels), and Limoncello D’Alfredo, a fermented cocktail made from limes left over after juicing. Learn more in this RescueDish.org post.

Ravenhook Bakehouse will be serving upcycled treats at the Rescued Bread Brew and Trivia Night event on Sunday, March 31. On offer will be bread pudding made from leftover challah bread and custard, as well as crostinis made from leftover baguettes and apple cobblers made from apples that couldn’t be sold at the market. Register for trivia night here. 

Lost Generation, Washington, D.C. will offer Gravenhook Dark Lager. For this special beer they’re infusing their Grave Shift beer, a smooth, clean, dark lager, with surplus Raisin Pecan Sourdough from Ravenhook Bakehouse. The beer will debut at the Food Waste Prevention Week trivia night on March 31, and will be available until it runs out! Register for trivia night here. 

DIG, Bethesda. Order the Low-Waste Plate all week long. It features brown rice, chili roasted brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, wild Alaskan salmon with a side of garlic aioli. The restaurant says every ingredient is used to its fullest potential–the dish even makes the most of the sweet potato skins.  DIG will donate $2 from each plate sold to Manna Food Center.