With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s a perfect time to think about how you can waste less food. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average American family of four loses $1,500 to uneaten food, each year — that’s about 1,160 pounds of food!

 

Use these e-tips for a smarter approach to the holidays:

 

Make a list before food shopping. Plan your holiday menu and weekly family meals to avoid buying extra food that you might not need.

 

Love what's left over. Got leftover turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry and more? Give these recipes a try – USDA Thanksgiving leftover ideas. 

 

Sharing is caring. If you have extra cans of pumpkin pie filling, green beans, or cranberry sauce, donate them to local food banks and help those in need. Visit Fulfill in Neptune or Interfaith Food Pantry in Morris Plains (or find food banks near you, here).  

 

• • Pro Holiday E-tip: Reduce household food waste with the FoodKeeper app from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services! This tool helps to maximize the freshness with storage guidelines for more than 650 food and beverage items – plus, it helps you track storage times. Download the app for free on your  *Android^™ or *Apple^® devices.  

 

No matter what your holiday plans are, these simple e-tips can help you reduce food waste this Thanksgiving – and all year long. 

 

*Android is a trademark of Google LLC. Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.