Zero Waste Christmas Dinner

Is a zero waste Christmas possible?

Christmas is one of the most anticipated times of the year. Everyone’s already preoccupied on the gifts they’ll be getting for their friends and loved ones, the theme of the party they want to host or attend, the dishes they’ll be trying out during the Christmas Eve – Christmas is and will always be the happiest holiday of all.

This special holiday celebrated all over the globe is also the time that households and commercial industries accumulate huge amount of waste. One might say that it’s just alright to break some rules every now and then. But then, it may take years before these little deeds of ours will completely lose its carbon footprint on Earth.

Fortunately, if you’re someone striving to promote an environment friendly way of celebrating the season, there are several alternatives that you can try that could even lead for you to have one of the most memorable Christmas celebration of your life.

Eco-Friendly Christmas Dinner Tricks

There are several dishes to enjoy while strictly following a zero waster Christmas holiday dinner:

1. Buy local over international ingredients to help in reducing carbon footprint.
2. Purchase products in bulk and as much as possible, recycle its packaging.
3. You may want to skip ham (i.e. ham and turkey) as this further affects the environment.
4. Instead, be creative and turn chicken and fish into various recipes. You are not only helping save the environment, at the same time you’re helping yourself and your loved ones to stay healthy during this season where everywhere you go, there’s just of eating extravaganza.
5. Make a compost pit out of leftovers and peeled vegetables. Such ingredients are good elements in making a healthy compost pit where you can grow plants and vegetables.

Zero Waste Christmas Dinner

The taste and quality of the food you serve on the festive holiday adds life and love to the table. Because of this, it is very important to plan your menu ahead, even practice for that matter. The good news is that you can both serve good food and share your zero waste advocacy to your friends and love ones. Here are some of the dishes you may try for a more purposeful way to celebrate the season:

1. Zero Waste Veggie Pie. A traditional pie but vegan. It is made with mixed vegetable.
2. Roasted Poached Chicken with Whipped Garlic. A world-class savory dish perfect for the festive nights.
3. Red Bell Pepper Pasta. An Italian food but better, due to its unique spices and taste from the red bell pepper.
4. Not-Too-Spicy Black Beans. A spicy black beans usually topped with sour cream or yogurt.
5. Roasted Stock Vegetables with Caper Gremolata. A tasty vegetable dish perfect for the occasion.
6. Scratch Pizza. An easy-to-make pizza topped with ricotta and olives.
7. Lemon Cake Recipe. A vegan cake to add up to your pastry.
8. Raspberry and Apricot Ice Cream Cake. Indulge in sweets as you dig in the exciting layers of this ice cream cake.
9. Hibiscus Tea. A zero waste drink made from dried hibiscus and honey.
10. Zero Waste Beignet. A delicious zero waste pastry by Chef Joel Gamoran.

Other Tips for a Zero Waste Christmas

1. While most of us keeps a plastic Christmas tree as it is reusable, purchasing a natural tree can actually reduce your carbon footprint. You can even plant a tree yourself and use it again for next year.
2. Make decorations out of natural materials. Or better yet make use of your old materials such as small toys as an alternative instead of annually buying new sets of ornaments.
3. Instead of buying gifts that you know may not last a lifetime, you can treat your friends and loved ones to a quick vacation, give them concert or museum pass, or enroll them in recreational activities such as exercising, painting, and alike. Such gifts will be imprinted in their minds over plastic materials that fade over time.
4. In giving gifts, you may wrap it using a magazine, newspaper or excess gift wrapper from last year. Do not be tempted to buy a new one just because the design is attractive and whatnot, always ask yourself if the things you’d like to buy is a need or just a want.
5. Make use of the technology and send video greetings instead of giving greeting cards.
6. Create a sense of awareness among your friends and loved ones by gifting them with eco-friendly items that will help them in starting a zero-waste lifestyle.

Conclusion

Do not give in with today’s belief that Christmas should be extravagant, even wasteful. Such way of thinking can cause negative implication to the only habitat of the next generation.

Instead, use this Zero Waste Christmas Dinner guide as a tool to inspire yourself and your loved ones to be sustainable in all aspects of life, including the day we celebrate Jesus Christ, the Son of the Creator.