Tips for A Zero-Waste Thanksgiving

If you’re reading this, you probably know that 40% of edible food in the US goes to waste… but did you know that most food waste occurs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve? It is estimated that Americans toss out an extra 25% of food during the holiday season. Yikes!

As with most things in 2020, the holidays this year are anything but ordinary. In an Instagram poll, 78% of our followers stated that they’d be staying local this year, while 48% are planning on incorporating non-traditional dishes into their menus.

What better way to embrace all the change, than starting a new tradition? We propose making 2020 a Zero-Waste Thanksgiving!

For those of you cooking at home, we’re sharing tips for how to celebrate sustainably below. For the others, why not fight food waste by picking up food for the holiday on Too Good To Go? We’ve got many partners serving up tasty prepared meals and desserts during the holiday weekend.

Zero Waste Cooking Tips:

Whether you’re cooking for two or ten people, the below tips will help you celebrate a Thanksgiving without food waste.

1. Create a shopping list and stick to it. Have a plan for what you’re going to make before you get to the store. Consider portion sizes and don’t be tempted by bulk deals or impulse items. Only buy what you really need, and remember to bring your own bags!
   
   

2. Save your scraps. As you plan your dishes of choice, think of what could be wasted, how to use your scraps. Most vegetable scraps can be used to make homemade stock. You can use it as the base of a seasonal soup or a delicious vegetarian gravy.
   
   You can also use your peels to make tasty chips to snack on or top your salad with. Check out a video tutorial on our YouTube channel. 
   
   

3. Gobble consciously. According to the NRDC, 200 hundred million pounds of turkey is wasted over the Thanksgiving holiday. Since smaller gatherings are trending this year, consider buying smaller cuts of meat instead of a whole turkey - or try a vegetarian meal for the most sustainable option.
   
   

4. Put it in a pie: A great way to use fruit that’s past its prime is by baking it into a delicious pie or crumble. Baking with what you’ve got is a great way to experiment with new combinations and flavors. If you’re shopping for fruit - embrace produce with character. “Ugly” fruit is more likely to be left behind in stores and end up in the waste pile.
   
   

5. Share, freeze & remix. Leftovers are great when they’re shared and enjoyed. Save your leftovers from going to waste by giving to-go containers to friends and family, properly store and freeze items for later - and remix your leftover ingredients into new dishes… stay tuned for more ideas that are all about leftovers later in the week. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 🍂 🥧