Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate with delicious food, but it’s also a time when food waste can peak. With a little creativity and planning, you can enjoy a festive feast while keeping waste to an absolute minimum. Here’s how to use every last bit of your organic veg bag, make the most of leftovers, and indulge in a delicious, eco-friendly Christmas dinner.
Instead of tossing away peelings from carrots, parsnips, or onions, turn them into a flavourful vegetable stock. Simmer them with herbs like bay leaves and thyme to create a rich base for soups, gravies, or sauces. For scraps that aren’t edible, composting is a fantastic way to reduce landfill waste while giving nutrients back to the earth. Another option is to get creative with pickling; leftover veg like red cabbage, carrots, and sprout tops can be preserved in a simple brine of vinegar, sugar, and spices, giving you tangy condiments to enjoy into the new year. You can even use veg peelings and salt them, a good drizzle of olive oil with some spices and throw them into the air fryer or oven for a bowl of tasty crunchy veg crisps!
Christmas dinner leftovers are a treasure trove of possibilities. Mix leftover mashed potatoes with chopped veggies and fry them into golden, crispy bubble and squeak. Transform roast veg, stuffing, nut roast or turkey into a festive frittata that’s perfect for brunch. Shredded turkey combined with veg scraps and stock makes for a hearty soup that warms the soul on chilly days. Even a simple salad of roasted vegetables tossed with rocket, cranberries, nuts, and a zingy dressing can breathe new life into leftovers.
For the big day itself, try a roasted winter veg medley with herb butter that showcases the best of your organic veg bag. Combine carrots, parsnips, red onions, squash, and Brussels sprouts with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and orange zest. Roast until golden and tender, then drizzle with melted garlic butter for a dish that’s as festive as it is flavourful. Serve it alongside your centrepiece or as a main dish with all the trimmings!
With these ideas, you can enjoy a Christmas dinner that’s not just delicious but also mindful of the planet. Celebrate the festive season with love—for family, friends, and the environment.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a greener New Year from all of us at Veg Box People!
