Tips to Reduce Food Waste This Happy Holiday Season

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The holidays are the season for-food!

And the County of San Diego wants to give you some tips to help make sure you don't waste a single bite.

Believe it or not, up to 40% of the total U.S. food supply goes to waste every year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The opportunity to waste food increases during the holidays, as our feasts march from Thanksgiving through New Year's. It's a waste that can also cost you money. The USDA estimates that the average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food they end up never eating.

And food waste can even make climate change worse. That's because when you toss organic matter―like food waste―into landfills to decompose, it creates methane, a greenhouse gas pollutant. In 2022 the EPA said methane traps about 80 times the heat that carbon dioxide does and it is responsible for roughly one-third of the warming from greenhouse gases.

So, in the spirit of holiday giving, here are some simple tips that can help stop food waste, save you some money and even fight climate change!

Reduce Wasted Food - Shop and Plan Wisely

The easiest way to reduce wasting food, during the holidays or just day to day, is to not cook too much, right? One of the best ways to do that is to plan ahead, shop smart and serve just enough food to make everyone happy. It sounds easy but it can be hard to do. How do you know how much food is enough? SaveTheFood.com has a "Guest-imator" that can help you calculate how much food you need to prepare, based on how many people you're serving and how much they typically eat, even for Thanksgiving. And yes, it can even calculate having leftovers if you want them.

Freeze or Find Ways to Reuse Leftovers

Of course, even the best planners can end up with leftovers sometimes, especially at a big event like Thanksgiving. But you don't have to let them go to waste. If you're having guests, provide to-go containers, or invite your guests to bring their own, so they can take leftovers home with them. Rethink your leftovers and use them as ingredients for new meals. Leftover meat and vegetables can make a great soup or casserole. Or turn mashed potatoes into potato pancakes. And of course, you can freeze leftovers to use in future meals.

Compost What's Left!

And don't forget to compost leftovers. If you don't have your own compost pile or bin, you can place any remaining food scraps and organic waste into your curbside green bin! (Note: If you do have your own compost bin at home, you probably want to avoid composting meats and bones; they can attract unwanted pests.)

To learn more about reducing wasting food, visit the County's Solid Waste Planning and Recycling website. And have a great Holiday season!

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