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Christmas is all about giving gifts, visiting friends and family and indulging in an assortment of festive treats.

Tables full of succulent hams, crunchy salads and tasty turkeys alongside decorative Kiwi-themed crackers will pop up around the country on Christmas day. Many families will go all out and have a festive breakfast, lunch and dinner – with all the trimmings too.

All this festive food fuss can be supremely delicious, yet expensive and wasteful. The average household food bill and food waste tends to increase every time the holidays come around, but there are some things you can do to avoid this.

Plan ahead

The nightmare of last-minute supermarket shopping at Christmas is something we all want to avoid, so stocking up on all those Christmas deals ahead of time might seem like the way to go. But in doing so, you might also end up with much more than what you need.

It is better to write your Christmas meal plan before you go shopping so you know exactly what ingredients you need. Consider the amount of people you will be feeding on the day and plan accordingly.

Less is more

You don’t really need everything plus the Christmas ham on the table to be festive at Christmas. Serving the kind of food you know your guests will love and want to eat is a lovely gesture too.

Providing different options for those with dietary restrictions is also ideal. An easy way to do this is to provide a variety of food that guests can select from. You do not need to provide enough of every food selection to feed every single guest. You just need enough options to cater to everyone.

Refrigerate and freeze

Make sure you only put your food on the table when it is ready to be eaten.

Once everyone has had enough, put the food back in the fridge to have as your Boxing Day leftovers or put it in the freezer so you can enjoy it in the new year.

Storage secrets

Properly stored food can significantly reduce food waste. Knowing the best way to store your food over the holidays can save you time, money and unnecessary waste, and prevent last-minute supermarket runs.

Check out this handy guide to ensure your summer produce lasts as long as possible.

The gift of giving

When the festivities are all said and done and Christmas comes to end, put together some care packages containing any uneaten food and send them home with your guests.

So, let’s make this a very, merry Christmas that’s also low on food waste!

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