2 in 5 people in Vermont experience hunger, per Hunger Free Vermont (https://www.hungerfreevt.org/hunger-in-vermont). When feeding friends and family, leaving people hungry isn’t wanted. Having more food than needed also leads to unwanted waste. Here is some advice on ways to prevent wasted food during the holiday season.
- Don’t overdo meal preparation. Plan for and make only what guests will eat.
- Encourage guests to take food home with them. Consider asking visitors to bring food storage containers to the celebration.
- After the feast finishes, make sure to store food properly. Proper storage prevents spoilage.
- Extend how long you can eat leftovers by freezing them. Understandably, the third day of ham on the menu can get tiresome; when frozen correctly, certain foods can last up to months.
- If you have usable, unopened food, please consider sharing it or making a donation to your local food shelf. Remember to check the guidelines first and only bring donations during donation hours.
- With food scraps that cannot be stored, compost! Composting wasted food keeps the nutrients out of the landfill and puts them in a usable form for gardens. It also reduces carbon emissions! Simply add one scoop of food waste to three scoops of browns.
- If you cannot compost at home, bring your food waste to the District’s Residential Drop-Off on Fridays from 8 AM to Noon or to the District Transfer Station. Both will be open the day after Thanksgiving.
For more resources on reducing wasted food, check out the District’s webpage on reducing household food waste.