A Guide to Hosting a Low-Waste Thanksgiving
October 03, 2025
With thoughtful planning and a few simple swaps, you can enjoy a festive Thanksgiving that celebrates family, gratitude, and the planet. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash.
Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, family, and sharing a great meal. While the season feels cozy, it often leads to more waste, like food scraps, disposable tableware, extra packaging, and strong cleaning products. The good news is that with some planning and creativity, you can host a Thanksgiving that’s both festive and low-waste.
Here’s your guide to enjoying the holiday while caring for both your home and the planet.
1. Plan a Waste-Conscious Menu
Food waste is one of the biggest culprits during Thanksgiving. Between second (and third!) helpings and leftovers that don’t get eaten, much of the meal often ends up in the trash.
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Shop smart: Make a detailed grocery list based on the number of guests you’re expecting. Try to buy ingredients in bulk to reduce packaging.
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Think seasonal and local: Pumpkins, squash, potatoes, and apples are plentiful this time of year. Shopping from local farmers’ markets cuts down on transport emissions and excess packaging.
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Portion wisely: Use a portion calculator to help estimate how much food you’ll actually need.
Low-waste tip: Encourage guests to bring reusable containers so leftovers get eaten, not tossed.
2. Rethink Your Tableware
It can be tempting to reach for disposable plates and cutlery to make cleanup easier, but they add up to bags of landfill waste.
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Opt for real dishes and utensils: Even if it means mixing and matching sets, real tableware is far more sustainable — and it feels special.
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Choose cloth over paper: Cloth napkins can be reused for years and add an elegant touch to your table.
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Borrow instead of buy: Hosting a crowd? Ask friends or neighbors if you can borrow extra chairs, dishes, or serving ware rather than purchasing disposables.
Low-waste tip: If disposables are absolutely necessary, look for compostable or biodegradable options.
Skip disposable plates and cutlery - use real dishes, cloth napkins, or borrowed items to create a stylish, sustainable table. Photo by Libby Penner on Unsplash.
3. Decorate With Nature, Not Plastic
Thanksgiving decorations don’t need to come from a store shelf. Nature provides beautiful, biodegradable materials.
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Seasonal produce as décor: Gourds, pumpkins, apples, and pears can double as decoration and later be eaten or composted.
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Leaves and branches: Collect colorful leaves or pinecones to scatter across your table.
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DIY centerpieces: Use mason jars, candles, or repurposed vases filled with seasonal greenery.
Low-waste tip: Skip glitter and synthetic décor, which can’t be recycled or composted.
4. Green Your Cleaning Routine
Reduce hidden waste and protect your home by using washable cloths, eco-friendly cleaners, and cold-water laundry for a greener cleanup. Photo by Charlie’s Soap.
Cleaning up before and after hosting can create a lot of hidden waste, such as single-use wipes and harsh chemical cleaners in plastic bottles. Choosing eco-friendly products helps reduce waste and keeps your home safer for your family and pets.
5. Compost and Manage Food Scraps
Even if you plan carefully, you’ll still have some food scraps like peels, cores, bones, and leftovers that can’t be saved.
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Compost what you can: Vegetable peels, fruit scraps, coffee grounds, and even paper napkins (if you use them) can go into your compost.
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Get creative with leftovers: Turkey bones make excellent broth, stale bread can become croutons, and mashed potatoes can be turned into patties for breakfast.
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Freeze extras: Many cooked dishes freeze well and can be enjoyed later when you’re not overloaded with leftovers.
Low-waste tip: Share composting tips with guests who may not have thought of it before.
6. Embrace Gratitude and Generosity
Celebrate the true spirit of Thanksgiving by sharing gratitude, giving sustainably, and donating extras to support your community. Photo by Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash.
At its core, Thanksgiving is about community and gratitude. A low-waste holiday can extend those values even further.
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Donate: If you overbought non-perishable food, donate it to a local food bank.
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Give the gift of sustainability: Encourage guests to take home a small eco-friendly token, like a jar of homemade jam or beeswax wraps.
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Practice gratitude together: Go around the table and have everyone share what they’re thankful for. This tradition creates no waste at all.
Final Thoughts
Hosting a low-waste Thanksgiving doesn’t mean giving up comfort or tradition. It can actually make the holiday feel more thoughtful, cozy, and connected. Simple choices, like planning your menu carefully and using eco-friendly products such as Charlie’s Soap, can make a big difference.
This year, celebrate not just gratitude for what’s on your table but also for the planet that provides it.
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