Creating a plan is a great way to reduce waste.

Planning on hosting a party?

Start your plan with checking your pantry – take the guess work out of what you actually need.

Pick out recipes that use the whole vegetable, like carrots – their leafy tops can go in the freezer and make a great addition when creating soup stock.

Check out our page on reducing food waste for our best tips and more to plan a meal with less waste – great for special occasions and everyday!

Decorations

Plan for decorations that are reusable or recyclable. There are many ways to DIY your decorations and some of them are kid friendly. Check around the house for any supplies you might already have on hand.

Did you know that most paper decor is recyclable at a local depot (or in your blue bin if you live in the District of Sechelt or in the shíshálh Nation Government District).

Why ghost your budget when you can haunt your friends’ closets? Swap, rent, or thrift for boo-tiful costumes. Sunshine Coast’s buy-and-sell forums and thrift shops are crawling with fang-tastic finds. Don’t be shy — share your gently used outfits before they vanish into the night!

Get crafty with spooky scraps! Old clothes, cardboard, yarn, and paper can be transformed into eerie-sistible costumes and decor. Egg cartons make creepy spiders, and twigs are broomsticks just waiting to fly off the shelves.

Before your jack-o’-lantern turns into a mushy monster, give it a second life! Sugar pumpkins are gourd-geous in pies and soups, and roasted seeds are a real treat — no tricks. If it’s past its prime, compost in your backyard or in your green bin at the curb. Check out these tips for a wildsafe halloween.

Skip the plastic and go for goodies in recyclable packaging. Smarties, raisins, and foil-wrapped treats are fang-tastic choices. Or conjure up mini paper treat bags filled with popcorn or bulk candy. Want to be the apple of every trick-or-treater’s eye? Hand out whole fruit — it’s un-boo-lievably wholesome!

Halloween recycling isn’t different from the rest of the year. Sort as you go and use the “Recycling Directory” for “What goes where” at the bottom of the www.scrd.ca/recycling-depots webpage or use the SCRD Collects App on your smart phone and search the waste wizard.

Transform leftovers into tasty new meals!

One of the best parts of a family get-together? The leftovers! But after a few rounds of the same dinner, even your favourite meal can start to feel a little… familiar.

Get creative and try a new way to repurpose what’s already in your fridge. Ever tried a turkey croque monsieur? Or fried rice packed with leftover vegetables? There are plenty of ways to shake up turkey soup, too — try adding coconut milk for a creamy twist, or turn leftover turkey into a hearty stew topped with biscuits.

Leftover vegetables are just as versatile. Toss them into a curried pie or frittata, tuck them into a turkey and leek pie, or roll them up into tasty turkey burritos. The possibilities are almost endless — and your leftovers might just surprise you!

Share the abundance

Still have more food than your family can eat? Keep your community in mind and consider donating or sharing what you can.

Check with the Sunshine Coast Food Bank or the Salvation Army  to find out what types of food donations they’re accepting this year. You can also connect with a local farmer to see if they’re able to use food scraps to feed their animals.

Compost what’s left

And if some leftovers simply aren’t destined for a second helping, that’s okay! Give them a final purpose by using your Green Bin or composting them. visit https://www.scrd.ca/composting for tips about composting.

We can extend our gratitude on this holiday by also honouring the food that feeds our family. Share what worked with your friends and family. Happy Thanksgiving.