Friendsgiving. Some people do it, and some don’t, but the fact remains that this holiday can severely harm our environment. If you want to celebrate the holidays with your friends this year, just note that you can also do this whilst acting a little kindlier to our planet. Read on to learn how!
Make Use of Washable Dishes
This Friendsgiving, it’s time to say no to plastic – even if you’ve previously shared a lot of plastic-packaged meals with your friends. So, ditch plastic cups, dishes, and utensils and opt for some washable or compostable alternatives instead. If your friendship group is so large that you don’t have enough plates, simply ask your guests to bring their own! Not only is using reusable dinnerware better for the environment, but it can also make your table look more elegant.
Plan Out Portions
How many friends are coming to dinner? How much do your friends usually eat? Do they have any dietary requirements? If you’re close to your guests, you should know their eating habits like the back of your hand, making it easy to plan out portions and figure out how much food you really have to buy and serve. By discovering this, you can avoid producing any food waste.
Encourage Your Friends To Go Green
You don’t have to go on this eco-friendly journey on your own. If your guests bring food to the party, request that they carry their goods in reusable containers, opt for sustainably sourced ingredients, and only get as much as they need. Furthermore, instruct your friends to bring a reusable container to take leftovers away in. Again, this will reduce food waste and give your guests something tasty to feast on when they get home!
Avoid Dishes That Not Everyone Will Eat
Sometimes, the Thanksgiving feast contains a dish that only one or two people touch, thus resulting in a multitude of waste at the end of the night. If the butternut squash shepherd’s pie went down a treat last year, but the pumpkin salad was left untouched, you might want to save yourself the time and effort of preparing a dish that no one will consume. Over the years, you can learn which meals work and which don’t.
Freeze it!
Almost anything in a Thanksgiving feast can be frozen. So, if you have some leftovers, it might be worth preserving them in the freezer to avoid further waste.
Key Takeaways
- There are many ways to approach Friendsgiving in an eco-friendlier manner. By following even just one or two of the above tips, your friendship group can start protecting our planet’s well-being today!
- Furthermore, businesses may be able to benefit from encouraging their consumers to engage in eco-friendlier holiday practices. For instance, by selling reusable dinnerware and recipe books for Thanksgiving leftovers, businesses may profit from higher numbers of eco-conscious customers.
- Finally, the food waste crisis is one we cannot ignore any longer. By actively preventing waste production, we can improve our planet today!
