Christmas is a time for festive feasts and family gatherings, but it’s also one of the most wasteful times of the year when it comes to food. Households throw away thousands of tonnes of uneaten food annually, much of it during the holiday season. Britons reportedly throw out the equivalent of two million turkeys and five million Christmas puddings after the big day. In New Zealand, it’s estimated we’ll waste a third of our Christmas food.
Fruit, veges and bread are most commonly thrown out, contributing to environmental harm and unnecessary expense. But with simple strategies to reduce waste and shop sustainably, you can make your Christmas celebrations delicious, nutritious and eco-friendly.
The problem with wasted food is not only economic, it also contributes to significant greenhouse gas emissions. When food waste decomposes in landfills without oxygen, it releases methane – a potent greenhouse gas with a significantly higher short-term global warming potential than the carbon dioxide produced by cars. And given the world’s food system is estimated to be responsible for 19-29% of planet-warming emissions, all improvements are welcome.
Christmas presents a unique set of food problems, from working out how much ham and turkey we need per guest to pondering how many people will eat the fruit mince tarts. Over-catering is a common problem. Fear of running out of food leads many of us to buy and prepare excessive amounts – for example, elaborate cheeseboards. Britions reportedly throw out a staggering 2.2 million kg of cheese after Christmas.
New research from Love Food Hate Waste NZ shows that although 9 in 10 households claim to waste only a two-litre container or less of food over the festive season there is still a lot of waste. “We’re possibly just blind to it,” says communications manager Juno Scott-Kelly. “With our festive goggles on, it’s easy to overlook those extra servings or the food left out too long, but it all adds up.”
Its survey of 500 households found leftovers not used (42%), too much-cooked food (26.1%) and too much food bought (16.2%) are the main drivers of waste. “The switch to festive foods, particularly meat, creates new waste patterns. Because these items are often seen as special or have been bought in larger quantities to cater for different tastes, we see a rise in these categories over the festive season.”
Unused ingredients bought specifically for Christmas might include that half-eaten jar of cranberry sauce that languishes in the back of the fridge until next Christmas. And although food hampers may seem a great gift idea, they can also result in waste if the items in the hamper don’t match the recipient’s preferences.
Finally, there’s the problem of people getting tired of eating the same meals (another ham sandwich, anyone?). We all have limited fridge space, and without proper storage leftovers will spoil.
Instead of wasting food, money and your sanity, use these practical tips to make your Christmas more sustainable and enjoyable:
Plan ahead: Write a shopping list for your key Christmas meals based on a meal plan to avoid impulse purchases and over-buying.
Know your portions: Before shopping for ingredients, use a portion calculator online to estimate how much food you’ll need per person.
Use leftovers creatively: Instead of constant sliced ham for dinner or in sandwiches, use your leftover ham (or turkey) diced, sliced or shredded in a diverse range of salads, soups, pies, quiches, rolls and wraps. The more textural and flavourful variety between the dishes, the more you’ll enjoy it.
Decide early to freeze for later: Be sure to store extra portions or leftovers in the freezer immediately; when frozen in a fresher state, they last longer.
Store perishable food properly: To extend shelf life, label leftovers with the date they were made to ensure they are used before spoiling.
Share leftovers with guests: Provide containers and invite your guests to take home leftover salad, meat, potato dishes and desserts.
Be mindful of gift choices: Choose non-perishable gifts so the recipient can use them at their leisure: items like preserves, baking kits or gift cards rather than hampers with perishable items.
Compost scraps: Use your compost bin or the council compost service to recycle your vegetable peels and food scraps instead of discarding them.
Share excess food: Donate unopened, non-perishable food items to food banks or community groups.
