Business sign-up
MyStore login
Business sign-up
MyStore login
Business sign-up
MyStore login
Business sign-up
MyStore login

By planning, prepping and getting inspiration from us to make the most of your leftovers, you can reduce food waste this Christmas.Four Tips to Reduce Food Waste this Christmas

Lucy Bennett
Lucy BennettMarketing Manager
Lagt ut December 8, 2021
Four Tips to Reduce Food Waste this Christmas

For many, Christmas is a time of extravagance - the food you usually wouldn’t eat in much larger quantities, gifts galore and everything you own bedecked with fairy lights. What this can sometimes translate to is excess food waste.

New data has found that a quarter of Irish residents anticipate their households will generate at least a whopping 50% more food waste this Christmas compared to the rest of the year. The research, commissioned by Too Good To Go*, the world’s #1 anti-food waste app, revealed that this was especially true in counties such as Meath, Laois, Monaghan, Clare and Louth with up to 60% of the population in those localities expecting to increase their food waste this festive season by half.

This could mean as much as 1.5kilos of food waste per household this Christmas, up to 1.8million** kilos of food waste across Ireland going to landfill in December.
If you’re not sure where to start, we are here to give you guidance on how to reduce food waste this Christmas.


PLAN YOUR MENU BEFORE BUYING

Most of us intend on having a solid plan but it can often be put on the back burner, meaning we panic-buy far too much food. By creating a solid menu plan for the big days across the holiday season, you can reduce how much food will be wasted.

It’s not just about what you buy, but how much you buy. Think about your guests - how many spuds, sprouts, cauliflower cheese and pieces of your roast will they eat. For example, butchers would recommend about 1.5 kilos of a roast joint (or nut roast, of course) for 4 people.



If you intend on using the leftovers from your big day dinner in the following days, plan how you’re going to use them and what else you may need. If you’re a turkey curry family, grab your ginger in your initial shop, for example, or your onions for your hash browns!

By being conscious about what you’re serving from the get go, you are less likely to have surplus food.


FOREGO THE BUY 1, GET 1 FREE SIGNS

Gone are the days of the shops being closed throughout the holiday period! Bulk buying can be tempting, especially when you’re not sure who will be over when. The key thing to remember: you can always nip down for more mince pies.

By opting for the supermarket discounts, you may end up with food past its use-by date that is no longer safe to eat in a few days time. Buy what you’ve planned to buy and don’t get hooked by the deals - it’s not better value if it goes in the bin.


MAKE YOUR LEFTOVERS INTO NEW MEALS

We’ve already mentioned the joy that is using your festive food to create new meals but if leftover meal ideas isn’t your forte, we have some suggestions…

  • Brussel sprout pasta - roasted sprouts are delicious in a creamy white wine sauce alongside pasta
  • Root vegetable soup - your Christmas veggies are absolutely PERFECT for soup, just add stock, seasoning, water and blitz
  • Cheeseboard fondue - excess cheese plus wine and garlic equals the 70’s extravaganza of dreams… Dip those leftover roasties for bonus points


  • French toast - old crusty bread makes for the best French toast (it has more structural integrity than the fresh stuff)
  • Potato skin crisps - don’t dump those peels, toss them in seasoning and bake for 10 - 15 minutes instead
  • Big breakfast coddle - if your rashers and sausages are about to go to waste, pop them in a delicious coddle instead

Need more inspo? Check out our FREE downloadable Remix Recipe Cookbook - a little gift for you!


YOU DON’T HAVE TO COOK EVERYTHING

If you do over-shop, keep that food in the fridge or the freezer. It can be so tempting to cook it all and force-feed your guests - your attempts may be futile, though. There’s always next week.

Now, go forth - reduce food waste this Christmas to benefit your wallet and the planet.



*The research, commissioned by Too Good To Go was conducted by Markettiers with a nationally representative sample size of 500 adults in the Republic of Ireland
**Based on the 1,195,467 contained family households reported by the CSO

Del dette

start saving food today

Our app is the world's largest marketplace for surplus food. We help users rescue good food from going to waste, offering great value for money at local stores, cafes and restaurants.

Too good to go blog

a woman drinking a cup of coffee while a little girl looks on

Too Good To Go BlogUnderstanding Best Before dates: how you can avoid food waste and help the planet

April 17, 2025

With Earth Day upon us, it’s the perfect time to reflect on our daily habits and how they impact the planet. One area where we can make an immediate differen...

a half of an avocado next to a glass of water and a question mark

Too Good To Go BlogHow food waste affects water: how much water is hidden in your favourite foods?

March 21, 2025

This World Water Day, let's dive into the water we can't see—the water hidden in the foods we eat. How many glasses of water goes into producing a 201g avoca...

a blue aldi shopping basket filled with fruits and vegetables
Competitions

Too Good To Go BlogWin a €2,500 ALDI voucher

February 21, 2025

When you save any Surprise Bag between 24th February - 23rd March using Too Good To Go, you're in with a chance to win a €2,500 ALDI voucher! There's a wi...

a person is putting slices of bread in a plastic bag on a cutting board .
Date Labelling

Too Good To Go BlogBread: fresh or not? How to enjoy bread past its best before date

November 8, 2024

Best before dates: what do they really mean? When you see a Best Before date on your bread, it might make you think it's no longer safe to eat after that da...

More blog posts

JOIN 175,000 BUSINESSES FIGHTING FOOD WASTE WITH US

Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
Aldi
Centra
Supervalu
Krispy Kreme
Boojum
Fresh
Milanos
Offbeat Donuts
Umi Falafel
Sprout
Applegreen
BUSINESS SIGN UP
Too Good To Go Logo

Careers

Press

Support

Mystore

Download on the Apple App StoreGet it on Google PlayExplore it on AppGallery
Certified B Corporation

Legal

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

Terms & Conditions

Contact us

DSA Disclosure

Food Waste Sources

Status

Copyright © Too Good To Go ApS. All Rights Reserved.