This Thanksgiving, Americans are projected to waste an estimated 320 million pounds of food, meaning $550 million worth of perfectly good meals could be headed for the trash. According to ReFED, a U.S.-based nonprofit working to end food waste across the entire supply chain, nearly one-quarter of that waste is fresh produce.
“A significant portion of the standard Thanksgiving menu is made up of fresh produce — green beans, carrots and celery that go into stuffing, cranberries for cranberry sauce, potatoes, sweet potatoes, all that good stuff,” says Minnie Ringland, senior manager of climate and insights for ReFED. “The waste may be in the form of raw ingredients that don’t end up getting used or leftover prepared foods that don’t get eaten.”
Ringland says a little planning goes a long way toward saving money, reducing stress and keeping millions of pounds of fresh produce out of the trash.
“Better planning, storage and preparations can make a huge difference,” she says. “Figure out how much you need of each ingredient and only buy that much … or look at ways to use the same ingredient in multiple dishes. Use half of the carrots in a bag for stuffing and serve the rest roasted with a nice maple glaze. Another straightforward thing is just getting to know your fridge and your storage spaces a little better ... extend that shelf life.”
Ringland says people can start now on making room in the freezer if they might want to freeze a lot of leftovers.
“Another way to plan ahead is to coordinate what everyone’s bringing if you’re doing a potluck-style gathering,” she says. “And the last easy suggestion I have is just be prepared for leftovers; you can even let your guests know they can bring their own container if there’s plenty of food to share.”
With tips like these, people can come together this season of gratitude to honor farmers, food and the planet without wasting a single delicious bite.
