Following this year's historical COP26, we are all aware of just how important it is to make every effort we can to be more sustainable this holiday season – and for many of us that starts at home. Small changes can make all the difference in reducing our environmental footprint, especially over Christmas and New Year, when the potential for waste, and overconsumption is high.
Being a more responsible cook is all the more important at Christmas, a time of year that's notoriously excessive. By trimming back, cooking smart, planning ahead and rethinking some old traditions, we can all make a difference to the planet and run our homes more efficiently. Here are a few tips and tricks you can adopt this festive season to help curb your food waste and have an eco-friendly holiday.
Plan ahead Think through everything, such as ordering ingredients from suppliers that use minimal packaging (your local butcher, for example) and how many Christmas food deliveries you'll need to get. Plan your meals and portions according to the guest size you are catering to.
Include more plant-based items in the menu Eating more plant-based meals is good for you and the planet. There are lots of meat alternatives around these days to help balance your consumption, in fact, Tesco’s plant-based ranges have seen a 50% increase in popularity, meaning you won’t miss out on the big day. Find out more about WWF’s partnership with Tesco here.
Try recipes that reduce food waste and loss WWF launched a collection of healthy and sustainable recipes for World Food Day 2021. They all make use of parts of food that are often thrown away after other meals are cooked. Not only are they sustainable but they are also delicious! Head over to the link here try your hands at some of these scrumptious recipes.
Love your leftovers Most leftovers can be eaten as is or conjured into new and exciting dishes such as Christmas pizza, turkey minestrone or sprout hash. Be creative and try and keep those leftovers on your plate and away from the bin.