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K-State Research and Extension Douglas County 
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Lawrence KS 66046

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Reducing Food Waste During Holiday Gatherings

Sofia Diaz-Buezo
SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator

 

holiday meal. hands passing a bowl of food

We all love the smell, taste, and overall atmosphere that a holiday meal creates. As we start to gather around the table to share the meal with our family and friends, it is important to consider what comes next… the leftovers.

Leftover holiday food and food waste is a real issue. The Ecology Center found that the United States sees a 25% increase in wasted food between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Not only is food being wasted when this happens, but other resources such as water, land, electricity, money, and the labor to harvest these foods.

In order to help you reduce the amount of food that can be wasted because of the holidays, here are some tips on what to do with your leftovers.

  1. PLAN AHEAD – Do the grocery shopping list for the right number of people you are going to be feeding. Knowing ahead of timecut ham among other food on table how much you need to purchase can help you reduce your leftovers as well as to reduce your money spent on food.
  2. SHOP YOUR PANTRY FIRST – before heading to the grocery store, check which items you have in your pantry to reduce the chances of buying double.
  3. EXTRA TO-GO CONTAINERS AT HAND – If you are having family and friends over for the holidays, ask them to bring ‘to-go’ containers to take the leftovers home with them. That way they get to enjoy the meal once again and you do not have to worry about having so much food left over.
  4. DONATE THEM – call your local pantry, your local church, or a shelter and ask them if they will be willing to take some of the extra food*. If you have extra non-perishable items (canned goods) that were not used for the meals, you can donate these as well. *Safely and properly store the food prior to donating it.
  5. REPURPOSE THE LEFTOVERS – there are recipes online about what to do and how to utilize your leftovers for other meals. Whether that is freezing them and eating them later, or creating a new meal altogether, there are ways that you can use your leftovers, so they do not end up being wasted.

By starting small, you can create a significant difference this holiday season.

Here are some fun ideas on how to repurpose your leftovers:

  • Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Reubens
  • Leftover Ham and Stuffing Quiche
  • Turkey Waldorf Salad
  • Cranberry Muffins
  • Cranberry Cobbler Pie

Recipes like these can be found here, Food Network.