Food Waste Flow Sankey Diagram: Editable Template
Follow food from purchase to plate and see where it is wasted in storage, preparation and on the plate, and where the waste goes. Replace the example weights.
A food waste Sankey follows the weight of food bought by a kitchen to what is eaten and what is lost, then follows the waste to composting or landfill.
Of 1,000 kilograms bought in the example week, 600 are eaten. The other 400 are lost in three places, each with a different fix: storage, preparation and the plate.
A kitchen that weighs its waste by type can build this directly. It makes no claim about emissions or compliance; it shows quantities.
How to read this diagram
- 600 of 1,000 kg (60%) are eaten; 400 kg (40%) are wasted.
- Plate waste is the largest source at 160 kg, then preparation at 140 and storage at 100.
- Preparation waste is mostly composted (100 of 140 kg), but plate waste mostly is not (150 of 160 kg goes to landfill).
- 250 kg goes to landfill in total, 62.5% of the waste.
The data behind it
Invented figures for illustration. Not data about any real business. Quantities only; no emissions or compliance claim.
| From | To | Amount (kilograms) |
|---|---|---|
| Food purchased | Used in the kitchen | 900 |
| Food purchased | Spoiled in storage | 100 |
| Used in the kitchen | Served on plates | 760 |
| Used in the kitchen | Preparation waste | 140 |
| Served on plates | Eaten | 600 |
| Served on plates | Plate waste | 160 |
| Spoiled in storage | Composted | 40 |
| Spoiled in storage | Landfill | 60 |
| Preparation waste | Composted | 100 |
| Preparation waste | Landfill | 40 |
| Plate waste | Composted | 10 |
| Plate waste | Landfill | 150 |
The same data as CSV
source,target,value
Food purchased,Used in the kitchen,900
Food purchased,Spoiled in storage,100
Used in the kitchen,Served on plates,760
Used in the kitchen,Preparation waste,140
Served on plates,Eaten,600
Served on plates,Plate waste,160
Spoiled in storage,Composted,40
Spoiled in storage,Landfill,60
Preparation waste,Composted,100
Preparation waste,Landfill,40
Plate waste,Composted,10
Plate waste,Landfill,150How it works
Weigh purchases and waste for a week
Separate bins for storage, preparation and plate waste make this possible.
Work out what was served and eaten
Plated weight is used weight minus preparation waste.
Add where each waste stream went
Composted, landfill or any other route you use.
Check the balance
Each stream should send on exactly what it received.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert this into emissions?
Not from this chart. Emissions need factors and methods this editor does not provide; keep the chart to quantities.
Do I need to weigh everything?
Sampling for a few days and scaling is common, but state it on the chart.
Edit this food waste Sankey
Open the example as your own chart and enter your weights.