You don’t have to be sold on a climate-friendly Thanksgiving recipe to experience changes on your table during the annual celebration. American families, particularly boomer parents, will attest to the marked shift in what lines the Thanksgiving table over the years.
Inflation is a demon that can hardly be tamed, so food cost keeps rising year-on-year. There’s also the issue of shifting harvest seasons, driven by climate change. Now, more than ever before, people are becoming environmentally aware of how the global ecosystem influences every bite at the dining table.
This piece will examine the different ways that the global climate crisis informs what and how we grow, things we cook, and how we celebrate. Are you having a climate-friendly Thanksgiving dinner this year, or is your intention to go the way of trending TikTok recipes?
The Climate Impact of the Traditional Feast
The centerpiece of most Thanksgiving dinner tables is the carved turkey. However, it would be helpful to consider the carbon footprint and resource demand of turkey farming when preparing for Thanksgiving. Turkey farming is a net contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (NH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Farming operations, energy consumption, manure management, and feed production are some of the ways the farming of that Thanksgiving Turkey could have contributed to GHG emissions.
Of course, turkey is not the only food item consumed during Thanksgiving. Staple crops like wheat, cranberries and corn are also must-haves during the festivities. Meanwhile, these food items have also become victims of floods, droughts, and shifting seasons in recent years.
Little wonder that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) pegged agricultural activities as responsible for over 25% of global GHG emissions. Does that mean it is impossible to have a climate-friendly Thanksgiving, or should we go malnourished to save the planet? Find out in the next section.
ALSO READ: Fighting Food Waste Creatively with “Ugly” Fruits and Veggies
The Rise of Climate-Friendly Menus
Have you ever heard of plant-forward dishes? If no, they are meals that focus on plant-based foods and depend sparingly on animal-based protein. Plant-forward meals are some of the Thanksgiving sustainability trends influencing food choices during festivities.
Plant-forward meals are gaining popularity for their acclaimed health and environmental benefits. For instance, plant-based holiday recipes are gradually replacing traditional dishes, especially those that are heavily reliant on animal-based proteins. For example, more people are making green bean casserole using plant-based milk. Similarly, vegan cranberry sauces have become a thing at food retail stores.
If your family loves eating out during festivities, it is possible to find restaurants that offer climate-friendly Thanksgiving meals. Some chefs, and even food brands, are getting intentional about helping patrons eat local. Restaurants that are also mindful of the interplay between food and climate change make it a point to prepare meals with ingredients that are in season. These minimalist initiatives cut the carbon miles and footprint of our meals.
Unfortunately, some folks would not enjoy Thanksgiving without something chewy accompanying their meals. Interestingly, there are plant-based alternatives that may satisfy the palate of such individuals. Cauliflower steaks, stuffed acorn squash, lentil loaves, and mushroom roasts are good examples of chewy plant-based alternatives for Thanksgiving.
Sustainability Beyond the Thanksgiving Plate
This season, let’s consider some ways you can enjoy a climate-friendly Thanksgiving. The following low-carbon food choices and eco-conscious cooking tips will make your meals fairly sustainable this Thanksgiving.
Smart Shopping
Some of the best green Thanksgiving tips you embrace this season may be those involving eating local. Instead of buying groceries that have been shipped across many seas before arriving at your local store, patronize farmers’ markets and local co-ops.
Waste Reduction
Festive seasons often see spikes in food waste. From home kitchens to restaurants, the effort to compensate for the high demand for meals and food products sometimes leads to piled-up waste bins. So, you can reduce such wastes at home by preparing and serving smaller portions. Compost scraps, when you find any at hand and use reusable tableware where possible.
Ethical Sourcing
Eating animal protein in itself is not a crime, but sourcing such products from vendors engaged in sustainable practices may be the way to go. For instance, free-range turkeys will not require as many resources to raise as those reared industrially. Even for the plant-based meals, you may want to give preference to staples grown through regenerative farming and those with organic certifications.
ALSO READ: Are Your “Eco-Friendly” Groceries Really Sustainable? Here’s How to Tell
How Food Brands and Retailers Are Responding
Many stakeholders along the food supply chain are showing enthusiasm about encouraging low-carbon food traditions among end users. So, they are setting off a domino effect by equally embracing initiatives like low-emission packaging, eco-labeling, traceability, and carbon-neutral supply chains.
So, in fairness to food brands and retailers, some of them want consumers to enjoy a climate-friendly Thanksgiving. However, food consumers would need to do due diligence of buying sustainable holiday meals and staples.
Let’s consider a couple of food companies that could help you reduce Thanksgiving climate change through your holiday purchases. Patagonia Provisions and Whole Foods are famous for their sustainable offers throughout the year and during the holiday season.
- Alter Eco offers consumers minimally processed foods that are sustainably sourced and come in environmentally friendly packages.
- Original Beans plants a tree for every chocolate bar they sell. So, if you’re looking for carbon-negative chocolates to gift this holiday, try them.
Thanksgiving should be a reflective season in the year, not a time of gluttonous excess. It should be a time for us earth-dwellers to place ourselves on a sustainability alert while celebrating with gratitude and culinary stewardship.
In a warming world, giving thanks means making choices that keep the planet — and its bounty — thriving.
