A sack of onions and a tray of paneer play by different rules. Perishable inventory management is a race against the clock — spoilage costs you whether or not the dish ever sells, so the whole game is buying right and using fast.
Order to demand, not to habit
Over-ordering perishables is the most common and most invisible waste in a kitchen. Base orders on what you actually sell over the coming days, adjusted for weekends and events, not on a standing quantity nobody revisits.
Live and die by FIFO
First-in, first-out is non-negotiable for perishables. New stock goes behind old, and the kitchen always reaches for the oldest usable item first. Without disciplined rotation, you throw away today what you bought fresh yesterday.
Track shelf life, not just quantity
- Know the expiry or best-use window for each perishable.
- Flag items nearing their limit so the kitchen prioritises or specials them.
- Store correctly — temperature and separation directly extend usable life.
Set par levels for freshness
Par levels for perishables should lean lean. It is better to reorder more often and hold less than to sit on stock that spoils. Frequent small orders beat large ones that rot at the back of the fridge.
Make spoilage visible
What you cannot see, you cannot cut. When perishable stock, usage and wastage are recorded, the true cost of spoilage stops hiding inside “food cost.” Restro Sarthi tracks stock with usage and wastage, so you can see which perishables spoil, tighten their ordering, and turn guesswork into a par level that fits real demand.
