Plan your festive food to save time and money
Christmas is a time for giving, and sadly also a time when a lot of food is wasted all over Ireland. The good news is that taking some simple steps to manage your food during the busy festive season will save you money, save you time and make you feel more organised this Christmas.
By thinking ahead and planning what you are going to eat, and being smarter when you shop, you can help avoid food waste and reduce stress and hassle during the festive period. If you know what meals you’re going to eat, you’re less likely to buy extra food you don’t need, more likely to use the food you buy so it doesn’t end up wasted.
EPA food waste expert Odile Le Bolloch has five tips to avoid wasting food:
1. Plan your Christmas menu – it’s never too late to start: Think back to last Christmas and try to pinpoint what types of food were unused and thrown out. Was it something you and your loved ones really didn’t like, such as Brussels sprouts? Perhaps you stocked up on too many basics like milk and bread? This year, whether you are having a small or large festive gathering, plan how much food you will need for the number of people joining you.
2. Stick to your Christmas shopping list – only buy what you need: A gift to yourself (saving energy, money and stress) is to write your All I Want for Christmas food shopping list before you leave the house. Check what items you already have in your cupboards and freezer, so you only buy food you need. Then the hardest part, stick to your list. Make sure the ‘use-by’ dates on perishable food such as dairy and meat will still be good when you plan to eat them.
3. Store your Christmas food properly – make the most of it: So, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas with your decorations up and Christmas shopping done. Storing food properly will help it last longer. For example, keeping fruit like bananas and nectarines in the fruit bowl will cause the other fruit to ripen quicker, so keep them apart.
Fridge and freezer space might be tight so before Christmas so try to use up what’s already there. Serve and eat the more perishable foods first and then bring out the longer life food – when the prawn ring runs out, bring out the cheese and crackers! Remember you freeze your Christmas food too.
4. Cooking enough Christmas fare – give family style serving a go: Resist cooking too much over Christmas by anticipating how much your family and guests will want to eat. Try an online portion size calculator to help you estimate the portions you need to cook. For example, it is recommended that you need 450-600 grams of turkey (on the bone) per person. Rather than plating individual meals, allow everyone to serve themselves from large serving dishes - we’re more inclined to save leftovers from a serving dish than from someone’s plate.
5. Amazing festive leftovers – can save you time and money: Leftovers are delicious ingredients for your next meal and - for most of us - leftovers are the main staple on St Stephen’s Day. Once cooled, place leftovers in reusable, resealable tubs in the fridge, to be eaten and not forgotten!
The EPA’s Stop Food Waste programme is the national food waste prevention campaign. Check out the resources available at stopfoodwaste.ie.