How to Prep Restaurant Kitchens With Dissolvable Labels

Dissolvable labels help restaurant kitchens stay compliant, organized, and efficient—especially when prep gets busy. Stick them on containers, trays, and pans during prep, then watch them wash away in seconds with warm water—no residue, no scraping. They’re ideal for food rotation, storage dates, and daily kitchen workflows that change fast.

Use them to speed up labeling, support food safety, and keep your summer rush prep smooth. 

Use Day-of-the-Week Stickers to Stay on Top of Rotation

Color-coded day-of-the-week labels make rotation easy at a glance. Apply them during morning prep or deliveries so staff can:

• Spot what’s prepped today vs. what needs to be used
  
• Rotate FIFO (First In, First Out) efficiently
  
• Cut waste and avoid expired ingredients
  

For example:

• Monday = Blue
  
• Tuesday = Red
  
• Wednesday = Green
  
  Match color codes across containers and prep sheets to reduce guesswork, especially during peak service hours.
  

Apply Kitchen Prep Labels Where They’re Most Useful

Use kitchen prep labels on:

• Cambros and storage containers
  
• Hotel pans and deli containers
  
• Ingredient bins and portion cups
  
• Sheet trays for baked items
  

Place the label on the side for containers on shelving, or the top for stacked bins. Always include:

• Prep date
  
• Product name
  
• Use-by time or shift
  

With dissolvable labels, cleanup is fast—just warm water and they disappear. No sticky glue left behind.

Standardize Your Labeling System by Station

Set up each prep station with its own small roll or pad of labels.

Here’s a quick setup idea:

• Cold prep: Use green dissolvable labels for sauces, slaws, dressings
  
• Hot line: Use red for proteins and starches
  
• Pastry: Use blue for doughs, frostings, and fillings
  

Labeling by station cuts confusion, especially for new or seasonal staff.

Clean Removal Saves Time and Avoids Cross-Contamination

The last thing you need is a sticky label from yesterday still clinging to a bin.

Dissolvable labels dissolve in warm water, no soaking, no scrubbing.

This:

• Prevents old info from being reused
  
• Keeps lids and bins clean
  
• Saves time during dishwashing
  

Perfect for high-turnover prep kitchens or shared containers used across multiple shifts.

Use Labels to Train and Standardize Kitchen Routines

Labeling helps new staff learn faster. When everything in the walk-in is clearly marked by date and color, they’re more likely to:

• Grab the right container
  
• Follow food safety timelines
  
• Re-label correctly during transfers
  

Consider keeping a laminated label key posted in the walk-in or near prep sinks showing color codes and what to write. That way, even during rush, your system holds strong.

Add Visual Cues for Seasonal Menus and Special Items

For kitchens rotating in summer specials or new seasonal menus, label overlays can help.

Try this quick system:

• Orange label = new summer menu item
  
• Standard blue label = daily prep
  
• Use bold marker to write “SUMMER” or “SPECIAL” on the label
  

This helps avoid mix-ups and lets expo or line cooks know what’s part of a temporary or limited menu.

How One Café Streamlined Summer Prep with Dissolvable Labels

At Bayfront Kitchen, a fast-casual café on the Oregon coast, staff faced constant confusion during summer months when rotating in seasonal salads, sauces, and specialty items. Items were frequently mislabeled—or worse, not labeled at all—during the afternoon prep rush.

Their solution? A two-part system using our dissolvable labels and color overlays.

• Standard prep used blue day-of-the-week stickers.
  
• Seasonal items got an orange dot overlay and were labeled “SUMMER” with a bold Sharpie.

This small shift made a big difference:

• Prep staff knew immediately what needed to be rotated out by week’s end.
  
• Front-of-house could confidently answer “What’s new?” without digging in the back.
  
• And at cleanup, dissolvable labels rinsed off in seconds—no more scrubbing or sticky residue.

By clearly marking seasonal items and aligning the whole team, Bayfront Kitchen reduced food waste by 18% during peak summer traffic.

Make Summer Prep Easier With Dissolvable Food Labels

Kitchen labeling shouldn’t slow anyone down. Pre-printed, dissolvable food labels give your team the info they need—without creating messes or extra cleanup. From prep bins to walk-ins, our dissolvable labels help make food safety second nature.

Dissolvable Labels FAQs