Thanksgiving Leftovers are a Recipe for Disaster - But Here's How to Cook Smarter
The quintessential American holiday is a food lover's paradise, but it's also a significant contributor to the country's staggering amount of waste. In fact, experts estimate that roughly 320 million pounds of food will be discarded on Thanksgiving Day alone, with many of those items destined for landfills.
That may not seem like an insurmountable problem, but consider this: if we were to feed every person experiencing hunger in the United States from the leftover turkey, we'd still have enough food to go around - five meals' worth, in fact. The issue is that most of these wasted items are released into landfills, where they produce potent greenhouse gases like methane.
So what can you do to avoid contributing to this problem? Start by planning your menu and shopping list carefully. Chef Joel Gamoran recommends buying a quarter pound of cooked turkey per person, as well as about a fistful of each side dish. This will help ensure that everyone gets a satisfying meal without generating too much excess.
When shopping for ingredients, consider the weight of bones and giblets - factor those into your overall estimate to avoid overbuying. You should also aim to purchase food items with a shorter shelf life, or produce that's slightly imperfect but still edible.
The next step is to think creatively about how you can use up every last scrap. Gamoran suggests making turkey stock by simmering the carcass in cold water for two hours, then using it as a base for soups and sauces. Don't forget about other scraps like carrot tops - treat them like herbs and make pesto, or freeze them to add to future stir-fries.
And here's the key: leftovers don't have to be relegated to just one meal per day. Mashed potatoes can become breakfast waffles or pancakes, potato bread is a tasty twist on traditional loaves, and leftover turkey meat can be repurposed as meatballs or patties.
If you do find yourself struggling to use up every last bit of food, consider freezing it instead. Just make sure to have space in the freezer beforehand - there's no shortcut around this!
Finally, remember that even imperfectly cooked meals are still good enough to eat. Pay attention to the smell, look at its appearance, and taste a tiny bit before serving. And if all else fails, don't be afraid to compost those scraps.
By following these tips, you can help reduce the staggering amount of waste generated by Thanksgiving leftovers and create a more sustainable - and delicious - holiday tradition for years to come.
The quintessential American holiday is a food lover's paradise, but it's also a significant contributor to the country's staggering amount of waste. In fact, experts estimate that roughly 320 million pounds of food will be discarded on Thanksgiving Day alone, with many of those items destined for landfills.
That may not seem like an insurmountable problem, but consider this: if we were to feed every person experiencing hunger in the United States from the leftover turkey, we'd still have enough food to go around - five meals' worth, in fact. The issue is that most of these wasted items are released into landfills, where they produce potent greenhouse gases like methane.
So what can you do to avoid contributing to this problem? Start by planning your menu and shopping list carefully. Chef Joel Gamoran recommends buying a quarter pound of cooked turkey per person, as well as about a fistful of each side dish. This will help ensure that everyone gets a satisfying meal without generating too much excess.
When shopping for ingredients, consider the weight of bones and giblets - factor those into your overall estimate to avoid overbuying. You should also aim to purchase food items with a shorter shelf life, or produce that's slightly imperfect but still edible.
The next step is to think creatively about how you can use up every last scrap. Gamoran suggests making turkey stock by simmering the carcass in cold water for two hours, then using it as a base for soups and sauces. Don't forget about other scraps like carrot tops - treat them like herbs and make pesto, or freeze them to add to future stir-fries.
And here's the key: leftovers don't have to be relegated to just one meal per day. Mashed potatoes can become breakfast waffles or pancakes, potato bread is a tasty twist on traditional loaves, and leftover turkey meat can be repurposed as meatballs or patties.
If you do find yourself struggling to use up every last bit of food, consider freezing it instead. Just make sure to have space in the freezer beforehand - there's no shortcut around this!
Finally, remember that even imperfectly cooked meals are still good enough to eat. Pay attention to the smell, look at its appearance, and taste a tiny bit before serving. And if all else fails, don't be afraid to compost those scraps.
By following these tips, you can help reduce the staggering amount of waste generated by Thanksgiving leftovers and create a more sustainable - and delicious - holiday tradition for years to come.
The fact that so much food goes to waste on Thanksgiving is crazy! Like, who loses a whole turkey? 
I feel like it's not just about the quantity of food we're using, but also the mindset behind it. Are we really consuming more than we need? Shouldn't we be trying to reduce our waste and make a difference? 
Maybe we can start by rethinking how we use leftovers, instead of just throwing them away. Making turkey stock from scratch or turning mashed potatoes into breakfast waffles is genius! 
And let's not forget about composting - it's always a great way to reduce waste. But what really gets me is that even imperfectly cooked meals are still good enough to eat... doesn't that show we need to work on our food insecurity and make sure everyone has access to fresh, edible food? 
like what if we could feed every hungry person in the states from those leftovers? sounds crazy but also kinda awesome that we can make a difference by just planning our meals better and getting creative with leftover scraps 
. And what's with all these "experts" saying 320 million pounds of food gets wasted? That just seems too convenient a number. Are they trying to distract us from something else? Maybe it's not just about waste, but about controlling our food supply... 
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320 million pounds of food gone to waste is just staggering. I guess it makes you question the true meaning of abundance, right? Is it really about having more, or is it about appreciating what we already have? 
I mean, think about it, if we could feed everyone experiencing hunger in the US from those leftovers, what does that say about our food system and our priorities? It's a bit uncomfortable to confront, but maybe it's time for us to rethink how we approach this whole "stuff" thing. 
...and the aftermath is even worse! Like, who needs 320 million pounds of food? Can't we just chill with one giant turkey instead? But seriously, all that waste is insane - it's basically like we're creating our own personal landfill. And you know what the worst part is? It's not like we can't do better...we just need to be a bit more creative (and thrifty) in the kitchen 
gotta try out some of these tips tho - never thought i could turn mashed potatoes into waffles 
. Like, what even is the point of having all this extra food if we're just gonna toss it in the trash? I mean, five meals' worth of food would literally feed every person experiencing hunger in the US... it's crazy! 
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. And I love the idea of repurposing mashed potatoes into waffles or pancakes 