By Kim Paymaster, Member, Southeastern Pennsylvania Group; Grant Program Director, The Conservation Alliance
This article was originally published in the Philly Talks Trash Quarterly newsletter.
Bringing people together during the holidays often means days and weeks of delicious meals. Most of us have been conditioned to want to make sure there is always more than enough food, especially at this time of the year as we entertain family and friends. We make more dishes, and larger portions, than we normally would at other times of the year. However, this type of excess preparation has led to the holidays – between Thanksgiving and New Year's – being the time when Americans throw away 25% more trash than at any other point in the year. And since food is the largest single category of waste that ends up in landfills, according to the EPA, holiday meals present a great opportunity to make a positive impact and reduce unnecessary waste.
Why focus on food? There is food waste at every step of the supply chain, from farms to grocery stores to our own homes. About 30-40% of all the food that makes it into our homes gets wasted. The economic impact of that is staggering, with about $1,500 of food thrown away per household on average. On top of this, wasted food has a huge impact on resources and the climate. About 21% of water, 18% of cropland, and 19% of fertilizer in the US is used for food that gets thrown out. When that food goes to the landfill, it’s covered with layers of other trash. Since it doesn’t get any oxygen, the degrading process releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
What can I do to help? Enjoying the holidays doesn’t have to lead to tons of food waste. Planning ahead can allow for a full, delicious meal without the added waste. Check out these tips:
- Meal Planning: Putting together a menu (and sharing it with your guests if possible) allows you to see just how many appetizers, entrees and desserts you are going to have this year. We often start with grand ideas, but meal planning allows us to dial down the number of items or portion size depending on who is coming. As you are planning your menu, think of how you can incorporate some of the ingredients into multiple dishes. How can you use the rest of that pumpkin puree jar or molasses?
- Shopping Lists: Use your menu to create a detailed shopping list. Itemize what you will need and only purchase what is on the list. This will help your wallet as well as decrease unnecessary waste.
- Shop Your Pantry: Before you leave the house, first check your pantry. Whether you’re trying a new recipe or one that has been in the family for generations, there is a good chance you already have some of what you need on your shelves or in your cupboards.
- Prepare for Leftovers: Having leftover food can be an amazing thing to get through the rest of the week or month, but only if you’re ready for it. Have containers ready for guests to use or ask them to bring some along to take food home. Pro tip: keep the jars and containers that you bought your ingredients in – use these as to-go containers for your guests at the end of the meal. And if you’re lucky enough to get to keep some of the leftovers, using the freezer is a great option.
- Create a Compost Plan: Before you get to the leftovers, you’ll likely create lots of food scraps as you cook. Composting these pieces, as well as particular leftovers, can help decrease the impacts of food waste and help add nutrients to the soil. Encourage your guests to compost leftovers that aren’t going to get eaten. Here are places to help you compost:
In Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, there are amazing companies like Bennett Compost, Circle Compost, Mother Compost, Back to Earth Compost Crew, and Kitchen Harvest.
Mom’s Organic Markets in Pennsylvania will let you drop off compostable waste directly into their receptacles.
If you’re on the go, check out the ShareWaste app – it connects you to local individuals across the country that will let you drop off food waste to enrich their own compost piles – a win-win for both of you.
- Share with Neighbors: connect with neighbors and offer your leftovers. The Buy Nothing app or a community email list can be a great way to share leftovers and make new friends!
- Donate: if you end up with ingredients that you didn’t use, or dishes that weren’t touched, check out local places that you can donate to so that others can enjoy a meal. Community fridges are another amazing place to donate food for those that might not have as abundant a holiday this year.
This blog was included as part of the November 2025 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!