Every Thanksgiving, an average family of four wastes approximately 1,16o pounds of uneaten food. That's about $1,500 wasted out of your pocket. The USDA provides some suggestions for reducing food waste during Thanksgiving.
Plan your meals beforehand.
Before you head to the grocery store, make a list of what recipes you want to create and the ingredients that are needed. This will help avoid impulse purchases, which may include food that is not needed.
When buying Turkey, a rule to remember is to plan one pound per person.
If you want to have leftovers then plan one and a half pound per guest instead.
For smaller family gatherings, consider preparing some favorite side-dishes to go with the feast such as your favorite rolls or dessert instead of several.
If you have guests that want to bring a dish, plan in advance who will be cooking which dish.
Save the scraps while cooking.
Freezing scraps such as vegetable peelings and meat trimmings can be used for future creations.
One idea is to use it later for savory broths or a hearty soup to provide comfort during the winter season.
You can also cook the scraps to make other recipes or ingredients.
This can include seasoning potato peelings to bake them into crunchy chips, or sauté extra onions for some delicious caramelized onions.
Store or give away leftovers.
If storing, make sure to place the food into clear containers marked with the date and contents.
This will increase the chances for leftovers to be remembered in the fridge and actually be eaten.
If giving away your leftovers to your guest, let them choose their favorite dishes to take home to.
Be Creative with your leftovers.
Think about the uneaten food you have in the fridge and add your little touch of creativity to it.
Such as Extra Rolls and Bread can be turn into bread pudding, or making turkey chili with the leftover meat you have.
Who knows? You may even start a new family tradition.
Composting
Composting your food scraps can help your garden grow.
Make sure to only toss in organics in the container and keep out produce stickers as well as non-compostable plastic bags, service ware, or utensils.
Whatever way you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, these tips can help you reduce food waste while still have a good time.
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