How to Avoid Too Much Food Waste This Thanksgiving

Many people across America are looking forward to overloading on a huge Thanksgiving feast this Thursday. You know the drill: stuff your face, digest with a little help from some wine and football and then dig in for seconds. But even after diving in for leftovers, chances are you’ll have an enormous amount of food left over that no one will ever eat. And that’s a shame.

If you would like to be a little more conscientious of food waste this year, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that you cut back on superfluous leftovers. Huffington Post has some helpful recommendations on the matter:

• Skip the turkey

This might not be a popular option for many, but some people just don’t dig this part of the meal. And that’s ok. If your guests are more inclined to enjoy a hearty stuffing, green bean casserole, and loads of pie a la mode, then why bother with a 15-pound bird anyway? Not only is it expensive and tricky to cook, it can leave behind lots of meat that no one will eat.

• Nix the signature dish that no one ever eats

Is there a certain casserole that shows up every year, and then ends up mostly in the trash? Don’t put it on the table for tradition’s sake. No one will miss it, and you’ll waste less food.

• Take it easy with the apps

Everyone knows that the big meal is what everyone is looking forward to, so you don’t need to impress everyone with well-meaning appetizers that are going to fill everyone up. Let them go to the table with an appetite — that way they’ll eat more of the main meal.

• Go for a lighter soup

If you’re going to start the meal with a soup, don’t make it too filling. If people are weighed down with a creamy concoction, they won’t be hungry enough to eat their share of the dishes that really matter.

• Send food home with your guests

You can request that your guests bring their own Tupperware (or you can buy some extra for the occasion) and send everyone home with a nice portion of what’s left over. That way you’re not left with a refrigerator full of food you won’t eat, and everyone else will be able to enjoy cold turkey sandwiches the next day.