In the UK, Christmas is a widely celebrated event that has been marked in calendars for centuries. Once a religious ceremony celebrating the life of Jesus Christ, today, modern Christmas celebrations can be very different, with many involving various traditions of enjoying food.
From chocolate advent calendars to Christmas dinner and all the festive treats in between, there’s no denying that one of the best parts of Christmas is what we eat.
With this said, let’s take a look at some Christmas food waste facts and how waste at this time of year can be tackled.
Food Waste at Christmas in the UK
Let’s put the focus on Christmas food, since it’s central to much of the celebrations at Christmas time. Mince pies, boxes of chocolates, and even wine are all things we indulge in without thinking about where the packaging goes.
1. We Bin 42 Million Dishes of Christmas Food
We’re all guilty of piling that delicious Christmas food onto our plate, but the truth is, much of the food we cook and plate up ends up in the bin. A staggering 42 million dishes of Christmas food goes to waste annually, just due to Christmas festivities.
2. 7.5 Million Mince Pies Are Thrown Away
It may be hard to believe, but you read that right. We throw away a huge amount of mince pies at Christmas, amounting to 7.5 million in total!
3. 2 Million Kilograms of Cheese is Disposed of in the UK Every Christmas
A cheeseboard is one of the best things about Christmas day. Just when you think you’ve eaten enough, out comes the selection of delicious cheeses with crackers. That’s the problem, though, most of us eat more than enough, resulting in cheese that is bought and thrown away unnecessarily.
4. 9.8 Million Cups of Gravy Are Thrown Down The Sink
You can never have too much gravy…unless it’s going down the sink! A whopping 9.8 million cups of leftover gravy end up being thrown away on Christmas Day.
5. 17.2 Million Sprouts Find Their Way to Landfills
We know that sprouts aren’t for everyone. However, one Christmas food waste fact that highlights the real problem of food waste is that 17.2 million sprouts end up in landfills. They can’t be that bad!
6. In the UK, 263,000 Turkeys Are Thrown Away Each Christmas
This food waste fact doesn’t need any explanation. It’s just a sad reality of Christmas food consumption that you should be aware of.
7. 66% of People Say That They Know They Buy More Food Than Needed
Heading to the supermarket at Christmas time is part of the fun of building up to the big day. However, with clever marketing tactics across stores comes the urge to buy food we probably don’t need. Are you guilty of this?
8. 740,000 Portions of Xmas Pudding Go to Waste
Christmas pudding is one of the oldest British Christmas food traditions, but today, most people toss it in the bin it seems.
9. 11.3 Million Potatoes Are Wasted
The humble potato, a Christmas day staple, but again, another food that ends up in the wheelie bin.
10. 230,000 Tonnes of Food Ends Up in the Bin
Finally, but not least, how much Christmas food goes to waste? Two hundred thirty thousand tonnes is the answer!
How to Reduce Christmas Food Waste
Thankfully, there are many ways in which you can help to reduce Christmas food waste. We’ve pulled together a list of handy tips and advice to ensure that your food waste is kept to a minimum this Christmas. Remember, every little action helps!
Don’t overbuy Christmas food
First and foremost, be sure not to overbuy food. This can help to reduce your own Christmas food waste significantly. It may be tempting to grab every treat in sight, or ‘stock up’. But, much of the time, you only end up eating a small portion of what you buy.
Plan ahead, buy the appropiate amount of food for the number of guests at Christmas. You and the environment will be better off for it.
Freeze any Christmas leftovers
Assuming you will cook most of Christmas dinner fresh, you should be safe to freeze any leftovers. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the taste of xmas day in the days and weeks following. Win!
Donate and share food
If you end up with more food than you can finish, pass it on to family or neighbours. Most people will happily take a few spare roasties or pudding. Many areas also have small online food sharing groups where you can post anything still fresh and someone nearby will collect it. It might feel minor, but it stops good food ending up in the bin.
At the end of it all, the goal is just to be more aware. Christmas is meant to be enjoyed, but it doesn’t need to come with a mountain of waste. If your business needs help with responsible disposal or recycling over the festive period, Waste Direct’s disposal services are ready to sort it for you.
