The morning after Thanksgiving always seems to begin the same way…you open the fridge, and it’s overflowing with containers of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and every side dish you can think of that you made the day before. It’s a familiar sight that brings a mix of gratitude and the realization that you now have several days’ worth of leftovers to navigate. For many families, leftovers are part of the tradition, but they can also become overwhelming, repetitive, and, unfortunately, wasted. At the Center for Food Conservation and Waste Reduction, we believe leftovers are more than just “extra food.” They are an opportunity to stretch your grocery dollars, reduce waste, and get creative in the kitchen.

Unfortunately, leftovers too often go uneaten and end up in the trash. Recent research showed that the Thanksgiving holiday dramatically shapes how much food households waste. In the Talking Turkey: Residential Food Waste and Thanksgiving study, researchers asked a nationally representative sample of consumers to estimate their edible food waste during Thanksgiving week and again the second week of December. Wasted food during the holiday week was significantly higher: 499.7 grams per person per week, compared with 358.4 grams in December. That’s a difference of 141.3 grams, or a whopping 39% increase! In food terms, that’s the equivalent of about a 5 oz serving of turkey, roughly 2/3 cup of mashed potatoes, or a slice of pumpkin pie headed for the trash. It may not sound like much, but multiply it by everyone sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal and it adds up to thousands of pounds of food in the landfill. The good news is that a few simple strategies can change the narrative from Thanksgiving being a time of food waste to a time of food conservation.

Plan Before You Prep

Thanksgiving-related food waste often starts long before the big day. According to ReFed, 42% of holiday hosts report discarding food during a fridge or pantry cleanout, with 36% of consumers reporting tossing food from the freezer to make room for Thanksgiving ingredients. Be mindful about the space you will need and start planning early.

Stop Guessing, Start Guestimating

One of the biggest contributors to holiday food waste is simply making too much. The Talking Turkey study found that 74% of people who prepared holiday food said they prepared more than needed. That’s not surprising. No good host wants to run out of food, especially on Thanksgiving. In fact, studies show that people with a “good provider identity” tend to overprepare the amount of food, which can lead to food waste (see studies from Aschemman-Witzel et al, 2019; and Barbera et al, 2020).

Frankly, even for the most skilled cook, it’s easy to overestimate how much your guests will eat, especially when juggling multiple dishes and feeling the pressure to have enough. That’s where easy-to-access online tools like the Guest-imator come in. This free, interactive tool helps you calculate exactly how much to prepare based on how many guests you’re hosting and what kinds of eaters they are. It’s simple and can be an effective way to prevent overbuying and overpreparing.

One Last Helping

Thanksgiving is a celebration of gratitude and connection. With a little planning and creativity, we can keep Thanksgiving food out of the trash can and in our bellies. Take inventory the week before Thanksgiving, use tools like the Guestimator to find the right-sized portions, and find creative ways to repurpose leftovers are examples of ideas to conserve food while stretching your food dollars. Whether you are cleaning out your pantry before the holiday, planning portions for your guests, or rolling up your leftovers as Thanksgiving Egg Rolls, every step makes a difference. We hope your holiday is full of joy, connection, and delicious meals!