26: Holiday Food Waste — Simple Ways to Reduce Waste, Save Money, and Celebrate Sustainably

Festive food and drink are an important part of celebrating the holidays, but food waste shouldn’t be.  In this episode of Sustainable in the Suburbs, Sarah Robertson-Barnes shares simple, sustainable ways to reduce food waste, save money, and plan mindful, eco-friendly holiday meals.

From meal planning and low-waste hosting tips,  to getting kids involved in the kitchen, you’ll learn how to plan for enough, use what you have, and enjoy the season without overspending or overbuying. This episode is full of practical tips and real-life inspiration to help your family live a little greener — one meal at a time.

Takeaways

• Preventing food waste is one of the easiest ways to save money and cut emissions.
• Plan meals around what you already have — and plan for enough, not excess.
• A kitchen audit before shopping helps you save money and stress.
• Changing the way you host can significantly cut costs and reduce waste.
• Encourage guests to bring containers for leftovers.
• Abundance is about gratitude and connection, not “more.”
• Simple shifts in how we plan and eat can make a real difference for the planet.

One Small Shift
This week, try planning the old-fashioned way! Sit down with a pen and notebook before the busy season hits, take stock of what’s in your kitchen, and make a simple plan for what you actually need.

Resources

FoodMesh

ReFED

How to Reduce Food Waste Over the Holidays (blog post)

6 Recipes for Gifts in a Jar (blog post + free download)

A Simple Kitchen Audit

A Beginners Guide to a Sustainable Kitchen (use code PODCAST20)

Transcript

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The next time you take your bins out to the curb, consider this. Everything in there used to be money. And over the holidays, we throw out a lot more of it. From uneaten food to piles of packaging and things we didn't plan on buying, waste goes up by between 25 and 45 % this time of year. But it doesn't have to be that way. With a few small shifts, we can cut waste, save money, and still keep all the joy that makes the season special. Welcome to Sustainable in the Suburbs, a podcast for the eco-curious who want to live a greener life and are looking for a place to start. I'm your host, Sarah Robertson Barnes, a soccer mom with a station wagon and a passion for sustainable living. Each week, I'll bring you practical tips and honest conversations to help you waste less, save money, and make small, doable shifts that actually fit your real life. Because sustainable living doesn't have to be perfect to matter, and you don't have to do it all to make a difference. Hello, welcome back to Sustainable in the Suburbs, the podcast where we start where we are, use what we have and live a little greener, one small shift at a time. I'm your host, Sarah Robertson Barnes, and I'm very happy to be hanging out with you today while you're out on your walk or cleaning your kitchen or whatever you're doing. If you've been enjoying the show, there are a few simple ways you can help support it. Follow the podcast wherever you're listening today and leave a quick rating or review. It really helps other people find us and come hang out with me on Instagram. I'm over there at Sarah Robertson Barnes and make sure you're on my newsletter list, especially heading into the holidays. I've got lots of ideas coming your way to help you save money, cut down on waste and make the season feel a little slower and more meaningful. You can find the signup link for that down in the show notes and go ahead and email me back. I'd love to hear your thoughts or what you'd like to hear more of on the show. So let's talk about the holidays. When I think about the holiday season, I always come back to the food. I'm thinking about making snickerdoodles and gingerbread houses and everyone gathering in the kitchen, the smell of cinnamon and cloves and citrus, all those little traditions that somehow make it feel like home. So many of our memories this time of year are tied to what we eat and who we share it with. But it's also the time when things can start to get a little out of hand. The fridge is packed, the freezer's full, and somehow there are still trays of food that don't fit anywhere. After a get-together, there's always something left behind. Happy nappetizers, untouched desserts, and it's hard not to think about how much is quietly going to waste. Between the family dinners, the school potlucks, the baking swaps, and office parties, it's easy to feel like the holidays are one long buffet. But all of that abundance comes with a cost for our budgets and for the planet. We never set out to waste food, but it happens so easily. We make a bit extra just in case, we buy a second thing, whatever it is. And before we know it, there's more than anyone ever really needs. Food Mesh estimates that Canadians waste about 25 % more food over the holidays. And Too Good to Go puts that number closer to 45 % once you include all the packaging and party leftovers. And of course, when food goes to waste, it's not just the food itself that we're losing. It's everything that went into producing it. The land, the water, the energy, and the labor behind every ingredient. And with grocery prices still climbing, this all hits home harder than ever. The good news is that preventing food waste might actually be one of the easiest and most affordable ways to make a real difference, both for the climate and for your wallet. Because as you know, I firmly believe that climate action begins at the kitchen table. It starts with how we plan. how we store our food and how we use the food we already have. It's something that I talk about a lot from my blog and workbooks to library talks and corporate workshops, just finding small ways to make things simpler and more sustainable. And we all have to eat. So it's about being thoughtful and intentional, especially at a time of year when food is such a big part of how we celebrate. So in this episode, we'll be talking about how to plan and celebrate in ways that save food and money. and hopefully a little bit of your sanity too. It's easy to lose perspective this time of year on so many things. We tend to overbuy everything this time of year and we tell ourselves it's just all part of being festive and generous, but somewhere along the way it can start to look a lot like excess. It can be hard to wrap our heads around what all that extra food means beyond our own kitchens. But when you start to look at the bigger picture, the scale of holiday food waste is staggering. And we're not just talking about what's on our plates. Before we get into solutions, I do want to share a few stats because they are quite eye-opening. Across the U.S., ReFED estimates that about 316 million pounds of food will be wasted this American Thanksgiving alone. That's $556 million worth of groceries tossed in a single day. Producing that wasted food uses over 100 billion gallons of water and releases nearly 800,000 metric tons of carbon emissions. That's the same as driving almost 200,000 cars for an entire year. And that just keeps going with the holiday celebrations through the end of the year. In the UK, an estimated 230,000 tons of food, or to visualize it, that's about 42 million plates of food were thrown away during the Christmas festive season. And here in Canada, it's not all that different. Canadian Geographic reports that nearly 58 % of all food ends up wasted at some point. And most of that happens right in our homes. And when the food leaves our home, it doesn't just quietly disappear. Nothing breaks down properly in a landfill, but especially food. Instead, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is about 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. In fact, if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases on earth after the US and China. And those numbers are only a part of the story because when we throw away food, we're also throwing away the water that grew it, the land it came from, and the labor of the people who produced it. We're wasting all of that at a time when food has seemingly never been more expensive. So as we move into the season of celebration, maybe the goal isn't about more, but really rethinking what abundance means. Maybe it's just simply making the most of what we already have and to spend wisely. to share generously and to keep all that good food out of the landfill. Plan ahead and plan for enough. Let's talk about planning because honestly, that's where most of the magic happens. Planning ahead doesn't mean overthinking or having color coded pivot tables in your spreadsheets unless you're into that, which my husband absolutely is. It's just about slowing down long enough to look at what you already have, what you actually need and how you can make the most of both. I think we tend to overdo it this time of year for a few reasons. Part of it is that the holidays are built around this idea of abundance, big meals, gift giving, all that kind of stuff. But at the same time, we worry about not having enough. And the season is so overwhelming that we just sort of lose our senses at some point. But here's the thing, and I want you to remember this about your event. You are not going to run out of food. You won't, I promise you. When has that ever actually happened? Most of us have more than enough sitting in our fridges, freezers, and pantries. We just forget what's there. And that's why I always recommend starting with a quick kitchen audit before you shop. It takes a little bit of time, but it's one of the best ways to get organized and cut down on stress at the shop, save money on groceries that you don't actually need. I do have a simple kitchen audit workbook that can help you get organized heading into the holidays. That'll walk you through how to take stock, clear things out of the back of your pantry, Spot the meals you already have waiting and I will link that down for you in the show notes. Okay, so then plan your menus. I hate meal planning, but I have cracked the code and it is choose dishes that can do double duty. So we are now firmly into soup season. So think about how things like roasted squash or other veggies can easily be turned into a soup or a stew. You can even make the broth from their peels. Do not underestimate the power of soup. And of course, do a Pinterest search for leftover meals, choosing recipes that can easily be repurposed into new meals like chilies or curries or casserole, party flexible dishes that stretch your budget and your food even further. If you are hosting a meal or a gathering, try using a portion calculator. So there's a great one from Love Food Hate Waste, and there's another one on the Food Mesh Guides to get a sense of how much people actually eat. It's a really simple tool, but it can be really eye-opening to see how much food is actually needed and how much you can save by planning portions a little more thoughtfully. And then comes the hardest part, writing a list and actually sticking to it. It sounds simple, but this is where most of us start to go off track, adding some just in case extras or picking up things that were never part of the plan or things that we already had and forgot about. And that's where the spending and the waste really start to creep in. So when it comes to the main meal, focus on quality over quantity. You don't have to have the biggest turkey on the shelf. A smaller, well-sourced one or a plant-based main can be just a special and it's a lot easier to manage the next day. If you love to bake or make things in the kitchen, plan ahead for that too. Stock up on ingredients in bulk. Sometimes you can even do that in your own containers. So you can make a few extra treats or gifts without all that packaging and last minute runs to the store. Food isn't just part of how we celebrate, it's also some of the most meaningful gifts are the ones that can be eaten, shared, or used up. So who doesn't love food or a free jar? Consumable gifts are thoughtful, personal, and they don't end up as clutter. And if you're looking for ideas, I have six gifts in a jar on my blog, which are perfect for the holidays, and all of the ingredients can be sourced in bulk. So I'll link that in the show notes for you too. And while you're planning your grocery lists, don't forget your neighbors. If you have the means, add a few extra items to your cart for your local food pantry and be sure to check with them first about most needed items or whether cash donations are better. You can also check in with local toy drives or community holiday programs to see how you can contribute there as well. At the heart of all of this is a simple truth. Enough is really enough. We have come to show abundance as access when it really should be about sharing. And when we plan ahead with a little intention and a little care, We make space for what the holidays are supposed to be about in the first place. Good food, good company, and gratitude for what we already have. Okay, on to hosting. Even with the best planning, once the cooking starts and the guests start to arrive, things can take on a life of their own. And that's part of the fun, but it's also where the waste can start to creep back in. Hosting mindfully doesn't mean giving up your traditions or stressing out over every serving. It just means hosting with some intention. And a few small shifts can make gatherings a little lighter on your wallet and the planet too. There's this idea that hosting means doing everything yourself. making it Pinterest worthy, the food, the drinks, the decor, the ambiance, but consider a potluck. A potluck spreads the cost and the work and honestly the joy. When everyone is contributing something, the meal becomes a reflection of the people at the table. It's one of the simplest ways to cut back on surplus food and makes it easier to include a few more plant-based means, which are a bit more inclusive and often much simpler to reinvent as leftovers. Plus everyone's arriving with things in their own container, so it makes it easier for everyone to take a little something home with them as well, normalizing that. For the main meal of your holiday celebration, try serving family style. It's such a simple way to reduce waste. Everyone takes what they actually want, and you can always refill the platters if needed. Plus it makes the meal feel a little more relaxed and communal, and that's really what the season is supposed to be about anyway. When it comes to the setup itself, Skip the disposable plates and trays if you can. Use your own real dishes, glassware, and serving utensils. It looks nicer, feels better, it's more homey, and it's going to keep a lot of unnecessary waste out of the bin. If you are heading to a family dinner or a school event or an office party, it's still worth having the conversation in advance. Suggest a potluck or offer to bring in a plant-based dish that stretches easily into leftovers. Ask how leftovers will be handled or volunteer to pack them up at the end of the night. Sometimes those small little nudges, either at work or around the family table can make a big difference into the plan and everyone gets to take something home with them. And before the party, tell your guests to bring their own containers. The reusable ones, ideally, you know, those takeout containers that we just have stashed in the cupboard. Make it part of the invite. Bring your own container. I find people will often say like, oh, no, no, you keep it. But if you frame it as part of the plan, it becomes the natural part of the plan. Send everyone home with something delicious for tomorrow and you've prevented a fridge full of forgotten extras. And for anything that's left after that, go back to your plan. Freeze it in labeled portions for easy weeknight meals, soup, lunches, future comfort food. Again, soup, you really cannot stress this enough. And of course, compost what can't be saved or reused. Repurpose those scraps into soil. Hosting mindfully brings the focus back to what really matters. Good food. shared generously and enjoyed fully. Preventing food waste works best when it's something that the whole household is a part of, so involve the family. Cooking, planning, and storing food can be shared habits. It's ways to connect, learn, and take care of what we already have together. Kids can help with meal planning, picking out produce, washing or chopping veggies. They're far more likely to eat food that they've helped to make. So when kids stir the soup or help measure the flour, suddenly it becomes their meal too. So give everyone an age-appropriate role. whether it's washing produce, mixing batter, labeling leftovers. It's not about making it necessarily easier in the moment, but it is about slowing down long enough to notice what's going on together. Doing these little things creates those little moments to talk about where food comes from, why we start the way we do, and how our small choices connect to the bigger picture in our community. You can talk about where your food comes from. how you shopped for it, how you store it. Let them see how you plan meals or decide what to do with what's left. So we're also teaching some valuable life skills as we're doing this. You can also turn those moments into something creative like baking cookies or making those simple gifts in a jar mixes that I mentioned earlier. And through it all, keep gratitude at the center. These shared meals, these conversations, this time spent cooking and laughing and learning together, that's the real heart of the home. Because when we care for the food that we have, we are also caring for each other and for the planet that made it possible in the first place. So close the loop. Cooking, eating, saving, sharing, it's all connected. These are the small, ordinary moments that add up to something much bigger. And honestly, that's what it's all about. The final piece of this is that mindset shift that I've been alluding to. The holidays have always been about abundance, about gathering, sharing, and celebrating what we have together. And at its best, that abundance comes from gratitude and connection, not from excess. Because I think we can all agree that somewhere along the way, we have started showing that abundance through more. More gifts, more stuff, more food, more decorations. and all the ways our culture tells us to prove it through stuff. The holidays are full of emotion and expectation. And when you mix that with the constant marketing and pressure to make everything magical, it's really easy to get swept up in it. We end up trying to show care and love through quantity instead of through presence, attention or thoughtfulness. But abundance was never meant to look like that. When we plan thoughtfully and cook with care and leave room for rest and connection, that's an abundance of a different kind, one that nourishes us instead of draining us. Being intentional and buying less is about being content with enough. Enough food to nourish us, enough time to slow down and actually enjoy it, and enough energy to share with others in ways that matter. When we waste less, we make room. in our kitchens, in our budgets, and in our lives for what truly sustains us. So maybe this holiday season, the goal isn't to do more, it's to do it more meaningfully. To cook and eat and share with gratitude, to care for our neighbors in real, tangible ways, and to celebrate abundance in its truest sense. Not as having everything, but as appreciating everything we already have. And that's what enough really feels like. So this week's one small shift is simple, plan. Plan for what you need, share what you can and find joy in using everything that you already have. It will mean making a list. I'm sorry about that, but it helps because every meal we plan thoughtfully, every leftover we save and every container we refill, that's climate action right at the kitchen table. So as you move through the next few weeks, the planning, the parties, the potlucks, try slowing down a little, take a breath before you make that list or put something into the cart. uh Go analog, grab a pen and a notebook and sit at the table and think about what you actually need. And of course, what you already have. That's sort of the real meaning of the season lives not in how we buy, but in how we put the care into it. Caring for food, really caring for it connects us to something bigger, to... community and climate action and it's all wrapped up in this one ordinary thing we have to do every day. So if you'd like to take this a little bit further, I've linked everything that we talked about in the show notes and you'll also find a link to my beginner's guide to a sustainable kitchen. It's a digital workbook that walks you through meal planning, how to store almost everything without plastic, lots of ways to reduce waste at home. It's all there for you and if you're not already on the newsletter, now is the time to join. You will get all of my holiday ideas from saving money, cutting down waste, eco-friendly gifts, stocking stockers, wrapping, all that kind of stuff, straight to your inbox. And of course, links to all the blog posts and resources over at sustainable in the suburbs.com. Until next time, start where you are, use what you have and live a little greener. Thanks for tuning in to Sustainable in the Suburbs. Every small step adds up and I'm so glad we're doing this together. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to follow the show, share it with a friend and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. You can find me at sustainableinthesuburbs.com or at Sarah Robertson Barnes on all the things. Until next time, start where you are, use what you have and live a little greener. This podcast is produced, mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio. For more information about how to start your own podcast, please visit www.cardinalsstudio.co or email Mike at mike at cardinalsstudio.co. You can also find the details in the show notes.