6 Ways to Have a More Sustainable Holiday Dinner

6 Tips to Reduce Your Food Waste and Save Some Cash

The holiday season is in full swing! The holiday season is the perfect time for friends and family to come together over one big feast. Often we load up our shopping carts and fill our dining tables with a variety of our holiday favorites. Unfortunately, the holiday season has a dark side and it often isn’t thought of until much later. We generate A LOT of garbage and food waste. This year let’s be mindful of our environmental impact. Make sure the planet and your wallet don’t take a hit this holiday season with these waste-reducing tips!

Tip 1: Make a Recipe-based Holiday Shopping List

We know you’ve heard it before but planning out your Christmas or Thanksgiving feast ahead of time is a big help. Once you have your menu decided take a moment to build a shopping list. Usually, we list the name of each ingredient and head straight to the grocery store. What if I told you there is a better way?

Instead of listing the names of several dishes, use the recipe of each dish to create your list. List the measurements of each ingredient for each dish and add them up. Knowing how exactly how much spinach you need to make every planned dish makes it easier to not over-buy and overspend at the grocery store.

Tip 2: Utilize Leftovers

Leftovers are inevitable. Instead of scraping food into the trash bin try these strategies instead. Prepare the appropriate food storage containers to store leftovers. Freeze your leftovers and trade them with other hosts. Eat your leftovers for dinner or portion them into a week of school and work lunches.

Tip 3: Order Online, Resist Impulse Buys

Grocery shopping online can be daunting but it is the best option during the holidays. You can get exclusive store deals and virtual coupons through grocery apps. If you have physical coupons you can typically redeem them by going into the store and showing your order information.

Tip 4: Buy Local

Farmers’ markets are abundant during the holiday season. You can get fresher produce at a farmers’ market than at a grocery store. Buying your meat and poultry from a butcher is also a great idea. Some vendors will allow you to place custom orders with just the right amount for your holiday dinner. Purchasing from local vendors reduces the amount of carbon emissions created to get the product from dirt to the dinner table.

Tip 5: Re-Evaluate traditions

Having 5 varieties of pie may be tradition but when 3 of the five are half eaten it may be time to re-evaluate the tradition. Don’t be scared to ask around for wanted and unwanted dishes. Not everyone likes cranberry sauce. Some people prefer apple pie over pumpkin pie. Asking around will help you reduce leftovers and your overall grocery bill.

Tip 6: Annual reusasbles

While paper plates, plastic cups, and themed napkins are tempting they’re wasteful. Buying decomposable plates, cups, and napkins often doesn’t have the impact you think it does. Composting involves the utilization of an active microbiome and these products may still take years to decompose. Depending on your local trash authority they may not have a process for compostable waste.

Instead of paper and plastic gather reusable products made of metal, glass, cloth, and porcelain. You can find unique serving dishes from thrift stores. The extra dishware will come in handy for birthdays and family events. Cloth napkins are also an alternative that can be used several times a year.

No matter what you’re celebrating – be it Christmas, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, this season is a time for joy and making special memories. Happy holidays from all of us!

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