The holiday season is a time for giving, reflection, and being thankful, but it can also easily become a time of excess. There are many ways to find balance this season so you don’t overdo it on the garbage you create.

• Plan ahead
  Whether you’re the host or are simply making a dish to bring to the party, it’s easy to overestimate how much you’ll need. Here are some helpful serving guidelines per person:

  • Six ounces of meat
    (e.g., chicken, turkey, pork roast)
  • Five ounces of potato-based dishes
    (e.g., sweet potatoes, baked potatoes)
  • Four ounces of vegetable or fruit sides
    (e.g., asparagus, brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce)
  • One slice of cake or pie

• Share the responsibility
  It’s near impossible to get serving sizes right when you have to prepare an entire meal by yourself. Assign each of your guests a specific part of the meal, and ask them to prepare something according to their assignment. Encourage them to take home whatever doesn’t get eaten, too, to avoid filling your fridge with all the leftovers or throwing things away.



• Get creative
  There are many uses for leftovers besides simply reheating them. For example, cooked vegetables can be turned into a potpie soup with unused piecrust, or leftover turkey can be used to make sandwiches. The possibilities are virtually endless, so don’t be so quick to toss things immediately.