Big meals can sometimes lead to big waste which is bad for your wallet and for the environment.*
Follow these tips to keep food from going to waste this holiday season—and keep following them to save up to $2900 a year for an average Oregon family of four.
*For every dinner roll we throw away, we throw away the energy, water, natural resources, and carbon emissions used to grow the wheat, make the flour, bake the bread, and transport it to the store.
1. Try a recipe and meal-planning app
These apps save you time at each step: meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking.
Here’s how the apps work:
- Save a recipe from any website (or add your own recipes).
- Scale recipes larger or smaller.
- Create shopping lists with a single click.
- Cook the recipe, crossing off ingredients as you go.
Many of these apps offer a free basic version with additional charges for premium services:
- Paprika: Makes it easy to scale servings, create shopping lists, and keep all your recipes in one place.
- Mealime: Great for planning the whole menu and adjusting portions for each dish.
- BigOven: Offers tons of crowd-friendly recipes with quick rescaling for any holiday feast.
2. Scale your recipes to just the right size
Ever found yourself with mountains of mashed potatoes or way too much stuffing after a holiday feast?
Use one of the recipe and meal planning apps mentioned above to easily adjust recipes to match the number of guests at your table.
Consider kids vs. adults: Many recipes assume everyone has an adult-sized appetite, but for smaller guests, consider counting them as half a serving size. Not only does this save food, but it also means you’ll enjoy the sight of empty dishes and satisfied guests, rather than piles of untouched leftovers.
Try the Save The Food Guestimator: This tool guides you through planning, factoring in the number of adults, kids, and general appetites.
3. Shop your pantry first
Once you've created your grocery shopping list, review your spices, pantry supplies, and fridge, marking off the ingredients you already have.
You’ll avoid buying things you already have that might go bad before you can use them.
4. Don't let leftovers go to waste
Send guests home with food. If you're hosting, ask friends and family to bring empty containers so everyone can take home leftovers.
Freeze single servings: Portion leftovers before freezing. They thaw faster, and it's easy to grab a quick lunch or dinner. To avoid forgetting what you froze, add a sticky note to the fridge or set a reminder for next month.
Turn leftovers into something new:
Find more inspiration at FoodHero.org.
5. Compost what can’t be eaten
Not every bite can be saved, but composting helps keep food scraps from piling up in the landfill.
When you throw food in the garbage, it goes to the landfill where it creates methane gas, which worsens the climate crisis. This is why ensuring all of your food waste gets into your compost bin – rather than your garbage – matters.
What you can do:
- If you live in a house, duplex, triplex, or fourplex: Take a moment to review the list of what's allowed in your green compost bin. And find tips to make composting easier.
- If you live in an apartment or condo: If your building doesn’t compost, review what to consider before setting up compost and then give us a call before talking with your property manager.