Reduce Food Waste on Thanksgiving

on November 16, 2009 at 7:35 AM

pumpkin pie I thought this holiday tidbit was fascinating: Thanksgiving is one of the few days a year when Americants instinctively take steps to prevent food waste. (For instance, in my house at least, it's the one time in which all the leftovers are devoured within days after the meal.) On every other day of the year, however, Americans waste enough food to fill Madison Square Garden.

So, how can we consciously cut down on food waste on Thanksgiving?

Plan the menu before shopping, taking note of which ingredients you already have in the pantry or the refrigerator so that you don't over-buy.
Make a detailed grocery list and don't stray from it. Resist impulse buys.
Serve reasonable portions.
Save and eat leftovers.
Compost.

Many of us already follow these tips on Thanksgiving. The trick is to adopt these habits throughout the rest of the year.

How does your family cut down on food waste—on Thanksgiving and on a normal day?

Do You Open the Oven Door When Cooking?

I Got Green: CafeMoms Reduce Household Waste

About the author Kim Conte

has shoes that make people stop her on the street and ask "Where did you get those?" but it doesn't work for taxi cabs as she was hit by one ... and lived to tell the tale. She has more freckles than Lohan but way less attitude. And she's a fierce cook with tons of recipes to share -- and wishes she could share some with Bourdain.

Filed Under: healthy habits

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Comments (5)

TKsMommie

on Nov 16, 2009 at 7:51 AM

Definitely sticking to a list. I am very much an impulse shopper and I buy things and forget they are there, so I have made a concious effort to change that because I was tired of wasting the food and the money!

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science_spot

on Nov 16, 2009 at 8:22 AM

Two years ago during the melamine in dog food deaths period...... I started making my own dog food. i started with a standard recipe of meat, rice/potatoes and vegtables. NOW I can substitute just about anything we have, including extra eggs, leftever vegtables, table scraps, etc. The dog loves it and I don't waste any "dog food" EVER!

on Nov 16, 2009 at 8:23 AM

Oh, and I pick the turley clean because I can freeze the meat to use in dog food recipes for WEEKS. This has brought me dog food cost to half what I was paying for canned dog food.

Carey2006

on Nov 4, 2010 at 1:38 PM

yes, we try our best not to waste food.....I try to be creative with leftovers, turkey pot pie is a family fav.

mainemusicmaker

on Nov 4, 2010 at 3:35 PM

I not only stick to a list, but I try to do batch cooking...that way, I can make a larger batch, split it up and each bit is the perfect size for a meal....any leftovers (when there are some) get packed up and brought to work for my lunch the next day *nod*