Food is the highlight of many of our holiday traditions and memories. We can all think of a holiday dish that makes us smile and our mouths water instantly. Yet, San Diegans dispose of 500,000 tons of food each year. During the holidays, millions of pounds of uneaten turkey, gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes, and other seasonal trimmings unfortunately end up in the landfill. This accounts for ⅓ of all food that is wasted each year.

According to a recent study, food waste amounts to the cost of approximately $1,500 per year, per family. Wasted food also wastes money, time, labor, transportation, water, and land used in food production. Aside from this waste, food decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen) in landfills releasing methane gas, a driver of global climate change that is up to 86 times more potent in trapping heat than carbon dioxide. San Diego County residents have the power to change this during the holiday season, and the study suggests that the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect place to start!

Implementing some simple changes can reduce your food waste and support a healthy environment. Here are some simple tips to save money and help the environment while enjoying delicious holiday meals.

Cook and serve with a plan

The easiest way to reduce food waste during the holidays is to buy and prepare the right amount of food. Save the Food, a campaign of the Ad Council in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council, created a tool to help save money and time while reducing food waste. Their Guest-imator helps create a menu based on how many people are attending the holiday feast.

Once the home chef knows roughly how much food is needed, create a detailed shopping list and stick to it. This will prevent getting sucked in by holiday displays appealing sales throughout the store, sometimes causing excessive purchases that may not be needed and may not actually be eaten.

When shopping for ingredients, opt for unpackaged items or bring your own cloth bags to minimize unnecessary waste further. In case there isn’t a package-less option for your groceries, learn how to Recycle Right on this county website.

Shop at local farmers’ markets

Nothing better than a festive farmer’s market! Visit one of the 36 certified farmers’ markets in San Diego County and buy local, unpackaged produce directly from regional farmers. View this resource from the county for a list of regional certified farmers’ markets.

Embrace all foods

When shopping, most people select the best-looking produce, meaning the “ugly” fruits and vegetables are often left on the shelves. If these items are not sold in time, they may be destined for the landfill. This wasted produce has the same vitamins and nutrients as their “prettier” counterparts but is not chosen simply because of looks. Give all produce a chance at the grocery store or farmers’ markets, especially if the chosen produce is part of a larger dish.

Go for plant-based meals

Did you know it takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef? Incorporating more plant-based foods into holiday celebrations, such as green bean casserole, lentil shepherd’s pie, and stuffed peppers, can cut the environmental cost of meals significantly. Find more plant-based holiday recipes here.

Shrink serving sizes

During the meal, reduce portion waste by using smaller dishes and smaller serving spoons – seriously, it works! People can always come back for seconds.

Anticipate yummy leftovers

Having a plan for leftovers is another way to ensure that the food prepared is eaten. After all, half the goodness of holiday food is in the delicious leftovers the next day. Provide containers for guests to take remaining food home, freeze leftovers for a later date, or use those leftovers in creative ways. Some recipe ideas can be found here.

Donate unused items – WasteFreeSD.org

Visit WasteFreeSD.org for more tips, including how to keep fruits and vegetables fresh longer, and for donation locations for regional food pantries. Currently, about 1 in 4 people in San Diego County are nutritionally insecure.

Spare your drains

Prevent the “fatberg.” Another important way to protect our environment (and your plumbing) this holiday season and year-round is to properly manage used cooking oil. Deep-fried turkeys have become an increasingly popular holiday tradition, but can use up to three gallons of cooking oil. When discarded down drains, oils, fats, and greases can block pipes and damage plumbing systems. Contrary to popular belief, mixing oil with soap or pouring hot water down the drain afterward are ineffective methods for preventing “fatbergs” that cause sewage backups.

Fortunately, there are free drop-off locations for used cooking oil. Collect cooled cooking oils in a secure lidded container labeled “used cooking oil.” Do not mix chemicals or other liquids with the cooking oil. To find the closest drop-off location, visit the Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste database, WasteFreeSD.org, or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784).

Residents interested in learning more about food waste reduction can visit the County of San Diego’s Recycling website. To learn more about composting resources and options, please visit WasteFreeSD.org and click on Resources.

 

Summer is the season to fire up the grill and spend time with friends and family! Before you plan your next backyard BBQ, here are some great tips and easy swaps to keep your gathering sustainable while helping you to reduce waste along the way. 

 

Avoid purchasing pre-packaged or pre-made food items

Cut down on the amount of single-use plastics and create your own tasty recipes from home! You can use sites like Pinterest to get recipe inspiration. Or, to make things easier on the host, you can have a potluck, where all of your guests bring one homemade dish to share. 

 

Incorporate more fresh vegetable and fruit options

Eating a diet rich in leafy greens and fruits packed with vitamins is not only healthier for you, it is also healthier for our environment! Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and other plant-based foods require less land and overall resources to grow and produce less greenhouse gas emissions compared to animal products you buy at the store. 

 

Visit Your Local Farmer’s Market

To make sure you’re getting the best quality and value during your next grocery trip, try purchasing from a local organic market or look for produce labels that have the location of where it was grown. The closer it’s grown in your region, the fresher it will be and you will be doing your part to support local farmers!

 

Buy local produce and sustainably sourced meat and fish

Be on the lookout for where your meat and fish are farmed or fished. Buy from local fish markets and check which fish are in season to help ensure a sustainable impact on fish populations is maintained. For meat and poultry, free-range, organic, and grass-fed options are best due to typically better living conditions and overall sustainable land management practices. Here are some local fish markets and farms in San Diego County: 

• Mitch’s Seafood
• El Pescador Fish Market 
• Paramount Fish Co.
• Tuna Harbor Dockside Market
• Fish District
• Hawaiian Fresh Seafood
• Blue Water Seafood
• The Wise Ox Butcher and Deli
• 5 Bar Beef
• Primal Pastures
• Three Sons Farm

 

 

BYO reusables and avoid single-use plastic cutlery

Whether you’re hosting an outdoor barbeque or an intimate gathering with friends, avoid using single-use plastic cutlery. Using reusables will help reduce the amount of waste in our landfills, and will also save you money in the long run, instead of purchasing new single-use utensils and plates each time you host. You can buy reusable bamboo cutlery sets in bulk to have on hand. Encourage your guests to bring reusable containers for leftovers. 

 

 

Make your own drinks

Making your own beverages is an easy swap to make instead of using bottled and canned beverages, saves money, and is more fun! You can create your own cocktail (or mocktail) station for your guests to get creative and serve them in these festive glass jars with bamboo lids for a nice touch (plus, they are spill-proof!)

 

Cover up your charcoal grill when not using it or opt for cleaner fuel

Making conscious choices can start during the grilling process. A tight-fitting lid cooks meat faster and more evenly while using less fuel. Use reusable grilling tools and accessories like metal skewers. Use condiments and food that you already have in your pantry or refrigerator. If you’re looking to upgrade your grilling set-up, you can always purchase a gas grill that is more energy efficient and uses a cleaner fuel source.