6 Tips For An Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year again when the weather cools, leaves drop and family holidays begin.  My favorite fall holiday, Thanksgiving is the most widely celebrated holiday in the United States and unfortunately one of the most waste generating holidays too.

Between traveling, putting family members up, kids home from school and cooking for an army on the big day, who can blame people for turning to things like paper plates, prepackaged food and disposable household items.  Sadly, all that waste adds up!  

If you are looking for a more sustainable way to do the holidays read on.  The trick is not to beat yourself up if you don’t do everything perfectly, but to make an effort and strive to make changes where you can.  Every piece of trash that stays out of the landfill and every food scrap that gets composted is a step in the right direction!

1. Mindful Meal Planning

Choose local and seasonal ingredients: Support local farmers by purchasing produce from farmer's markets or CSA’s.  Most communities these days have regular farmers markets, even through the winter.   If you are unsure where to begin, give searching on the National Farmer’s Market Directory.

If you have trouble finding one that is open for you, do a quick internet search for local farms and give them a call.  They may be more accommodating than you think!  In a worst case scenario, shop at your local grocer for items that are in season such as squash, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkins - which also happen to be great Thanksgiving staples.

Opt for organic or sustainably raised meats: If you’re serving turkey or other meats, look for options that are organic, free-range, or sustainably farmed.  Again, many of these can be found at farmer’s markets or stores that support and sell local products..  A plant-based Thanksgiving menu can also be delicious and have a significantly lower impact on the environment.

Plan portion sizes: Reduce food waste by planning appropriate portion sizes. Estimate how much food you need based on the number of guests.  Take into consideration their ages and dietary preferences.  

2. Sustainable Cooking Techniques

Energy-efficient cooking: Cook in bulk to reduce energy use. Utilize your oven efficiently by cooking several dishes at once or reheating dishes in batches.  Over the years, I’ve perfected what works for me when it comes to cooking for a crowd.  The biggest part of that is cooking as much as possible at once.  So if I’m making a roast, the cookies bake at the same time.   If I boil potatoes or pasta, I reuse the hot water to steam my veggies.  It’s a simple idea that you can use every time you cook, not just the holidays.

Minimize single-use items: Avoid single-use aluminum trays, plastic wraps, or foil. Instead, use reusable baking dishes, beeswax wraps, and silicone covers.

Composting food scraps: Set up a compost bin for food scraps like vegetable peelings, eggshells, and coffee grounds. Food scraps account for almost 30% of our landfill garbage.  Composting returns nutrients to the soil and reduces trash.  If you don’t have a place to compost, or want to, many towns have food scrap recycling programs. Alternatively, there are kitchen composting machines out there that will compost your food scraps without any work on your end.

3. Eco-friendly Table Settings

Use reusable or biodegradable dinnerware: Skip disposable plates, cups, and cutlery. Use your regular dishes or, if you need something disposable, opt for compostable materials made from bamboo, sugarcane, or palm leaves.  Just don’t forget to COMPOST them.  If you throw compostable material into a landfill, it just sits there and never gets a chance to return to the Earth.

Cloth napkins: Replace paper napkins with cloth ones. They can be washed and reused.  They can also add to ambiance.  Try to use natural fibers like cotton vs. polyester which is actually plastic!

Natural decorations: Create centerpieces using natural, biodegradable materials like pumpkins, pine cones, dried leaves, or fresh herbs. Avoid plastic decorations, and get creative with what nature offers.  Bonus: when you are done with these items, you can always return them to nature.

4. Sustainable Travel and Hosting

Carpool or use public transportation: If you’re hosting guests from nearby areas, encourage carpooling or using public transit. If family members are flying in, encourage direct flights to reduce emissions.

Virtual participation: For guests who can’t travel, consider hosting a virtual Thanksgiving meal to cut down on the environmental impact of travel.

Overnight guests: If you're hosting guests overnight, minimize waste by offering reusable toiletries and linens.

5. Minimize Food Waste

Creative leftovers: Transform Thanksgiving leftovers into new meals like soups, casseroles, or

sandwiches. Freeze portions you can’t consume immediately.

Share leftovers with guests: If you find that there is just way too much, even to freeze, send guests home with reusable containers of food so nothing goes to waste.

Donate unused food: If you have an excess of non-perishable items, donate them to local food banks.  Make sure they are unopened and within the expiration date.  Have a look through your pantry for items you know you aren’t going to get to while you're at it!

7. Sustainable Clean-up

Recycle. Compost. Landfill.  When cleaning up after the festivities, make sure you put everything in its correct place, with the smallest pile being for the landfill.  Many items can be recycled or composted.  Taking the extra second to consider if something has a little more life in it before throwing it in the trash can have a big impact.

Green cleaning products: Use eco-friendly cleaning products that don’t harm the environment. You can make your own with simple ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. Find product ratings on EWG to determine which cleaning products are safe for you and the environment.

Wash dishes mindfully: Fill the dishwasher to full capacity to save water and energy, or if hand washing, use a basin instead of running the water continuously.

By taking an extra moment at each step to consider ways to lower your impact, you’ll be able to reduce your environmental impact while still enjoying a festive and meaningful holiday!