Written by Anika Marino, Content Management Intern
During the Fourth of July, many families get together to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the holiday often centers around food. However, a lot of food ends up wasted every year. A couple of strategies, for both before and after celebrations, can help reduce food waste during your Fourth of July festivities.
Before the Fourth of July
- Check your fridge before you shop, and make sure that you actually need everything that is on you list
For example, if you need tomatoes but already have some in the fridge or in your pantry, why not just skip buying new ones and use up what you already have?
- Make a list of the amount of each grocery you need, and don’t over-buy
By measuring what you need for the number of people you have, you can minimize food waste by making the right amount of food instead of making too much.
- Ask your guests to bring tupperware with them to take home any leftovers
After the Fourth of July
- Try to keep as many leftovers as possible
Leftovers from the Fourth of July can serve as future meals for you and your family. You can even bring them in to work as a quick homemade lunch!
- Give unwanted leftovers to guests and neighbors
Even if you or your family won’t eat the leftovers you have, giving them to neighbors or guests who will eat them can help reduce food waste.
- Non-perishables that have gone unused can be donated to local food banks
Understanding that festivities often revolve around food while also being conscious of the waste created is integral to having a fun and sustainable holiday. Have a good Fourth of July!
Each Green Corner recognizes that the Fourth of July does not signify freedom for every American, and that the holiday and its history are affected by white privilege. EGC acknowledges that Black Americans were not legally free from enslavement until many years later, and that even though white Americans were free from British rule, the United States still maintained control over the livelihoods of Indigenous people.
Sources:
Image — Via titopasini on pixabay
Fight Hunger and Reduce Food Waste on the 4th of July — Move for Hunger
This Fourth of July, Aim to Be Free of Food Waste — Nourish by WebMD
For Many Black Americans, The Fourth Of July Means Something Other Than Independence — Natalie Moore on NPR
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