The holiday season is approaching, and with it comes the time to think about the Christmas dinner. Regardless of who you are celebrating with this year, one thing remains the same. Christmas is the time to enjoy delicious food. Unfortunately, the traditional Christmas dinner is not very sustainable. Meat often takes center stage, and a lot of food is wasted afterwards. That's a shame! Because during Christmas, it's important to think of everyone, it's also important not to forget our planet. So, choose a more sustainable alternative this year: a vegetarian Christmas dinner.
Opt for a vegetarian Christmas dinner this year!
Did you know that vegetarian dishes are generally more easily digestible than meat dishes? Meat dishes tend to make you feel full faster. The advantage of the vegetarian Christmas menu is that you will have more room for dessert. But, why is there still meat or fish on the menu? This is because not everyone knows about vegetarian alternatives. Fortunately, vegetarian cooking is not difficult. After reading this blog, you will never want anything else! If you are not a star in the kitchen, we also have a tip for you.
1. Put vegetables in the spotlight
Roast, carpaccio, or turkey: meat is considered by many to be the main ingredient of the Christmas dinner. For those who want to organize a sustainable, vegetarian Christmas dinner this year: meat is not welcome. The production of meat (and to a lesser extent, fish) causes enormous CO2 emissions. By putting vegetables in the spotlight instead of meat or fish, you make your holidays much more sustainable. Side dishes such as salad or baked potatoes are usually already vegetarian, but you can also choose vegetables as the main course. How about a large savory cauliflower from the oven with Parmesan cheese? Or a stuffed pumpkin?
2. Cook with seasonal products
Cooking sustainably is more than just making a meal without meat or fish. When cooking, it's important to consider the environment and the origin of products. In winter, about two-thirds of fresh produce in supermarkets come from abroad. Transporting all these products by trucks, boats, or airplanes is bad for the environment. Therefore, choose seasonal products! Potatoes, parsnips, red cabbage, or celeriac are all winter vegetables and widely available.
3. How to have a vegetarian gourmet experience
In the Netherlands, we love to have gourmet meals! During the holidays, the gourmet sets reappear in many households. Vegetarian gourmet meals are even more fun because you are more creative with grilling on the plate. We live in a time when there are more meat substitutes than ever before. In the supermarket, we have all probably seen a gourmet package full of small pieces of meat, perfect for gourmet cooking. Nowadays, there are also packages for vegetarians. And if you want to have a vegan gourmet experience, there are also packages that are entirely vegan. Fortunately, besides meat substitutes, there are plenty of other options. Try making your own vegetable skewers, stuffed mushrooms, or mini courgette pizzas in addition to these packages. Your guests will definitely enjoy these!
4. Avoid food waste
There's another Christmas tradition that we just can't seem to shake off. Every year, too much food is prepared. Therefore, don't throw away any leftover stew, meat substitutes, or vegetables, but instead save it for another time to prevent food waste. Extend the festivities by having a leftover dinner on Boxing Day. Alternatively, freeze the leftovers and have them when you don't feel like cooking. To completely avoid the "leftover problem," you can of course just prepare less food. This may be a bit trickier, as you'll need to estimate how much your guests will eat. However, by doing so, you'll prevent having to throw away pounds of food after the holidays.
5. Prefer not to cook yourself? Choose a sustainable restaurant
Cooking a Christmas dinner can be fun, but it can also be stressful and time-consuming. Do you just want to be pampered with delicious food this Christmas? Go out to eat or pick up a special Christmas menu from a sustainable and vegetarian or vegan restaurant.
If you own a food establishment and are looking for sustainable disposables to transport your festive dishes, then TakeAware is the right place for you! We're all about friendly disposables, which is why we don't sell regular packaging materials. Many of our products are made from plant-based materials such as bamboo, palm leaf, or sugarcane. Are you curious about our range? Take a look at our meal boxes and menu boxes, catering boxes, or paper bags.