Gathering with family and friends to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal is a timeless holiday tradition. For many people, itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ the one day a year to relax, reflect, and give thanks. Whether the day involves watching football or attending a parade, simply sharing time and expressing gratitude for loved ones makes the day special.
ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ essential to appreciate the Earth when we consider what we’re grateful for on Thanksgiving. Our majestic world provides the food on Thanksgiving tables across the country and sustains life in so many ways. As you plan your event this year, itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ easy to include ways to protect the planet. Just follow these simple tips!
Be sure to ditch plastic and synthetic decorations that harm the environment. Instead, opt for natural elements like pumpkins, gourds, corn husks, acorns, and colorful leaves. You can make a gorgeous centerpiece with some of these items. You can also scatter the items and create beautiful displays on kitchen counters, console tables, the fireplace mantel, or an entryway.
Set the Table with Your Best Dishes
Did you inherit your grandmotherÃÛèÖÊÓƵ china or pick out a unique stoneware pattern when you moved into your first place? Hosting Thanksgiving dinner marks a wonderful occasion to pull your best dishes out of the cupboard and show them off!
Using and washing dishes, silverware, and cloth napkins from home is also a greener choice than disposable plates, paper napkins, and plastic cutlery. This relatively small sustainable effort helps reduce landfill waste and makes your table look nicer.
Source the Menu Sustainably
Sourcing your Thanksgiving menu items from local farms and choosing produce helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting foods from huge distribution centers to grocery chains. It also supports local agriculture, and organic items are grown without harmful pesticides.
If possible, buy as many items as you can from local farms. Popular Thanksgiving feasts include potatoes, corn, squash, cranberries, apples, and pumpkins—all of which are readily available at farmers markets.
If you still need to visit the store, look for organic labels, buy items out of bulk bins to reduce packaging waste, and bring a reusable tote to the store to eliminate waste and plastic pollution from tossing out plastic grocery store handle bags.
Food insecurity is a global crisis. A shows that in 2020, one in three people did not have access to adequate food—which equates to 2.37 billion people across the globe.
Sadly, too much food is wasted., about “63.1 million tons of food waste was generated in the commercial, institutional, and residential sectors in 2018†in the U.S.
Making a conscious effort to reduce food waste on Thanksgiving is one way to combat this problem. When you make a shopping list, stick to the items and quantities you need for your meal. Don’t buy “extra,†especially easily perishable items like fruit, veggies, and bread. Pay attention to your recipes and buy just enough food to make dishes that feed the number of people you’re serving.
Also, watch portion sizes. Don’t pile your plate with too much so that uneaten food gets tossed. Instead, enjoy smaller portions and encourage guests to take a second helping if they’d like.
Properly Manage and Eat Leftovers
Many people look forward to enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers—maybe even more than the original meal. ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ important to properly manage leftovers—and eat them—to help reduce food waste.
Plastic food storage containers, baggies, plastic wrap, and foil are popular for storing leftovers. However, these items can end up in bulging landfills. Plus, plastic never breaks down. So, it can release harmful chemicals into the air and eventually pollute the oceans.
Packing leftovers in washable, reusable storage containers (like glass dishes and mason jars) is a better, eco-friendlier option.
If leftovers spoil before they’re eaten, this also creates waste. Therefore, itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent sickness and food waste..
Guidelines suggest packing and refrigerating leftovers within two hours of enjoying meal. Plus, only keep leftovers in the fridge for three to four days and pitch any uneaten food after this time.
To avoid waste, look for recipes online or consult cookbooks to find tasty, creative ways to use leftovers in other, post-holiday dishes. If you don’t think you’ll be able to use up the leftovers quickly, send some to friends and family members to enjoy.
Compost Food Scraps
Finally, compost any food scraps you have during meal prep or after your dinner. Composting reduces waste, enriches the soil, limits harmful fertilizer use, decreases greenhouse gas emissions, and helps prevent plant disease. to get some helpful tips.
Overall, following this guide will help you host a memorable, sustainable Thanksgiving meal.
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