Holiday Waste Reduction

The holidays are here, which means family gatherings centered around the dinner table where food is a plenty. Unfortunately, with these big meals comes the potential risk of wasted food.

Here are some easy to follow tips for reducing waste at home during the holidays:

Know who’s coming to dinner

It may seem a little formal, but by getting an idea of who will be joining you for that family gathering, you can get a better idea of how to plan the menu and how many portions to serve. Use Save the Food’s Meal Guestimator during your dinner planning process.

Menu Planning and Portion Size  

Now that you know the number of people who will be joining you for your holiday meal, determine the type of meal you would like to offer and how much to prepare for each. Adjusting the portion size of each aspect of your meal can significantly reduce the amount of food that goes to waste.

Amount of pieces/ounces per serving:

Appetizers:

• 3-4 of each item (ex. Deviled Eggs & Cheese and Crackers)

Entrée:

• 3-4 oz. Protein (Size of your palm)
• 1 cup of vegetables
• ½ – ¾ cup starch

Leftovers

Encourage your guests to bring containers to take yummy leftovers home.

Food for thought

Offer smaller 8 inch plates vs. the standard 12 inch to reduce the portion sizes.

Look out for Part Two next month for some recipe inspiration!