'Tis the season for sustainable food at Christmas
There’s nothing quite like an Aussie-style Christmas lunch or dinner — fresh seafood, roast meats, vibrant salads and summertime desserts enjoyed with family and friends. For many, it’s a day to indulge and savour every delicious bite — but it can also provide us with an opportunity to reflect on how we can consume more sustainably.
With the majority of food waste in Australia coming from our homes (around 2.5 million tonnes each year), Dr Kiah Smith from UQ’s School of Social Science and Dr Selina Fyfe from UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation have shared their practical tips for 2024.
Start small
It’s easy to overindulge or overestimate how much food is needed (at any time of year, but especially at Christmas), but simple adjustments can make a world of difference.
“I encourage people to reflect on how they can make small changes while holding the value of what they want the system to look like on a larger scale for the long term,” Smith said.
Over time, new habits can become part of your family’s festive traditions and embraced during the holiday season. Like food sharing, for example.
“Sharing is a really important value in our food system that we don’t talk about enough, because we see our role as consumers who go and purchase things,” Smith said.
“But sharing food can be a really great way to make more of less and help others, as well as yourself, this Christmas.
“It can be as simple as sharing leftover food with guests to ensure nothing goes to waste. Or sharing certain ingredients you don’t need lots of with friends or neighbours. Or planning a meal where everyone just brings one dish.”
Plan with purpose
Planning your menu in advance is key to a more eco-conscious Christmas.
Fyfe suggests choosing meals that make the most of locally grown produce — or locally sourced meat or seafood, if you can — to reduce food miles.
“The best way to do this is to source your food from fruit and veg stores, local farmers’ markets or, these days, you can find great farm-to-table options online, like community-supported agriculture businesses,” she said.
“If you’re not sure what to eat, do a little bit of research to find out what’s in season, then start looking up recipes based on that.
“Native Australian foods can also be fantastic to use, because you are usually supporting First Nations and on-Country enterprises when you buy.
“Plus, native plants are sustainable because they grow naturally in our environment and typically require fewer chemicals and less water to thrive.
“And they add diversity, nutrients and delicious flavours to our diets. For example, when I make Christmas spice cookies, I use Tasmanian pepper berry instead of black pepper.”
Another tip is to take stock of what you already have in your pantry before you go shopping, so you don’t end up repurchasing items you already have on hand.
If you’re extra organised, you may even consider cooking some Christmas goodies in advance and freezing them, ultimately extending their shelf life and perhaps reducing impulsive buying closer to the day when unexpected visitors pop round.
Root for more veggies
Reducing your meat consumption and incorporating more vegetables into your Christmas spread is another fantastic way to minimise waste, save money and embrace sustainability during the silly season.
Veggies are versatile, affordable and often have a lower environmental impact than beef, pork, chicken and seafood. They also taste delicious when thoughtfully prepared.
“Culturally in Australia, we eat a lot of meat. However, there is an opportunity to question whether we need so much, especially if there are four different types of meat on the table,” Smith said.
“We know it’s hard to say ‘have no meat’ at Christmas, but we can certainly have less.”
Growing your own herbs at home is another way to avoid food waste (and save money). They can be harvested when needed and in the right portion to perfectly season your roast potatoes or top off your summertime seltzer.
Mint, rosemary, thyme, parsley and ginger all grow well in Brisbane’s hotter climate, Fyfe said.
Get creative with leftovers
There are always bound to be Christmas leftovers, sometimes for days following the big event.
Instead of tossing surplus roast veggies, transform them into delicious frittatas, pies or pizza toppings. You can also freeze them for use later on, saving time on future meals.
Fyfe said her favourite leftover staple is the Christmas turkey.
“Put puff pastry in muffin trays, layer the turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce, and pop some stuffing in as well to absorb the liquid. Then freeze them and pull them back out in January when you need an easy dinner.”
Donate your surplus
For many, Christmas can be an especially difficult time financially, particularly when faced with a convergence of competing costs. Food insecurity will often force tough choices between holiday traditions and basic necessities.
Food charities like OzHarvest and Foodbank, which play a big role in managing food waste, also struggle to keep up during the festive season.
Smith said that in recent years food charities have seen significant increases in the number of people relying on their services continually for food — not just in the case of emergencies.
“When we are able to give, it’s time to shift our mindset around food donations from ‘I am giving as a good person’ to ‘I have a responsibility to be part of the food system, and the long-term societal solutions to reduce food waste and redistribute food’,” she said.
Consider a pantry audit to see if there is any surplus food you can donate to food charities in the lead-up to the busy Christmas period.
Image credit: iStock.com/VMJones
