A Zero-Waste Christmas: It’s a Family Affair!
The holiday season is often synonymous with abundance… which can also lead to food waste. Here are a few suggestions to make your holiday meals more zero-waste, plus some tips to involve your guests in the fight against food waste!
Plan Ahead
When it’s time to plan the menu for your guests, take a moment to ask if they have any dietary restrictions or foods they dislike. This way, you won’t end up preparing too much tourtière if three out of seven guests don’t eat it!
The Participatory Buffet or “Potluck”
Another way to celebrate the holidays in zero-waste mode when hosting a collaborative meal is to suggest that guests cook a dish using what they already have (or mostly) at home! It’s an economical and eco-friendly way to enjoy the culinary delights that the festivities bring.
Calculate Portions
It’s often hard to estimate the right amount of food for an evening, so calculate portions per guest. For appetizers, plan about 3 to 5 bites per person, for a total of 100g per person. For a starter, about 100g per person, and for the main course, 400–500g per person. For dessert, opt for bite-sized portions—less waste and easier to serve again at another meal—about 2–3 bites per person, for a total of around 100g per person.
Also, serve the meal in dishes placed directly on the table or as a buffet, so guests can help themselves according to their appetite. Less work and less waste than plating each dish individually.
Leftovers Station
Ask guests to bring empty containers to take home leftovers. At the end of the meal, set up a “leftovers station” where everything is shared among guests. Plus, you can make it fun by challenging those who take leftovers to reinvent them and share a photo and description of their creation with the group—like a pâté made from leftover turkey or a delicious soup from remaining vegetables!
