Reducing waste over the holidays

SASKATOON – A lot of food will be consumed and a lot of gift wrap will be torn apart over the next couple of days. While it’s easy to just throw the remnants away, there are ways to reduce the amount of waste over the holidays.

Families will be sitting around the table gorging on one, if not more holiday feasts. There can be plenty of leftovers which in some cases end up in the garbage.

“It’s really unfortunate obviously because there are so many people during the holidays that could use that kind of thing but at the same time you can’t donate leftovers because they are already processed and everything else,” said Dale MacKay, Ayden Kitchen and Bar chef and owner.

“The best thing to do is I always find less is more in all cases when it comes to food, instead of having eight side dishes have four really good ones and then think about the plan the next day.”

According to a Tetra Pak Canada survey, six in 10 respondents throw away food once or twice a week. But that holiday surplus can take on some new forms besides the classic turkey buns and mayo.

“It’s fun to take it a little bit further in the morning time.  A good way is to make a savoury pancake like a non-sweet pancake with the actual turkey meat right in there pour some gravy right over top of your pancake,” said MacKay.

Food isn’t the only thing to go to waste over the holidays, wrapping paper and packaging can also find its way to the landfill.

“Pretty much all your household paper and packaging save but Styrofoam, so any of the plastic your food is going to come in the packaging the toys and gifts come in including all of the wrapping paper that is not foil lined I mean all of that can be recycled,” said Dwight Grayston, Loraas Recycling manager.

Reduce, reuse, recycle, something all of us can take into consideration in between meals and presents this holiday season.

More information on what you can and cannot recycle can be found at Saskatoon Recycles.