Your guide to hosting a climate-friendly festive feast

Festive celebrations are about joy, connection, and great food. Yet, food waste, food transportation and single use decorations all contribute to the climate crisis.

The good news is that with a few small changes, you can make your festive traditions more climate-friendly without losing the joy of the season.

We spoke to Marta Messa, Secretary General of Climate Pact Partner Slow Food, and Climate Pact Ambassadors Chiara Pavan from Italy and Sabina Carman from Slovenia, to explore simple, practical ways to make your celebrations more climate-conscious.

Let’s dive into their top tips for creating a climate-friendly festive feast:

1. Plan and share meals with care

Cooking too much food is common during the holidays, but it can lead to food waste, which contributes to 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. So, plan your portions carefully to avoid over-preparing.

If everyone is bringing a dish to your celebration, invite your guests to prepare climate-friendly recipes. Label dishes clearly to avoid food waste and ensure everyone can enjoy the meal.

“Cooking is an act of care, an act of love for our planet and our community – it's about our collective wellbeing,” says Chiara, chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant Venissa and sustainable food advocate.

2. Get creative with leftovers

When we waste food, we also waste the resources used to produce it, like water, energy, and labour.

On top of that, when food rots in landfill, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas responsible for about 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times.

Reducing food waste can cut methane emissions, and help slow down global warming. So, instead of tossing out leftovers, you can get creative!

“Repurposing food isn’t just about sustainability – it’s about honouring the effort that went into creating the original dish,” says Marta. “By creatively transforming leftovers, you help reduce waste and show how simple actions can have a positive impact on the climate.”

Think soups made from roasted vegetables, spreads made from unused dips, or bread puddings made from stale bread. These are just a few of the simple yet tasty ways you can make the most of what you already have.

3. Source local, seasonal ingredients

Food waste isn’t the only challenge. The transportation involved also contributes to emissions, especially when ingredients are imported from distant regions.

It is possible to reduce the distance food travels by buying seasonal and locally sourced produce. Seasonal ingredients often require fewer resources to grow, further minimising their climate impact.

“Seasonal ingredients bring the freshest flavours to your table, while supporting local producers and reducing the emissions associated with long-distance transportation. It’s about creating a meal that’s both delicious and mindful of the climate,” says Marta. “They are essential for climate-friendly cooking.”

For example, hearty root vegetables, winter apples, and fragrant herbs are perfect for creating dishes that celebrate the season while being kinder to the climate. 

“My advice to chefs is to fall in love with the ingredients,” says Chiara. “Learn the story behind them to understand their journey from soil to plate.”

4. Decorate with mindful materials

It’s not just about food. Single-use decorations often end up in landfill and are made from materials that are energy-intensive to produce. Instead, you can add warmth and character to your celebrations by using reusable or natural materials to decorate your table.

“I love using dried orange slices as ornaments,” shares Sabina. “They’re simple to make, smell amazing, and decompose naturally after the season. Pinecones and branches of greenery can also be used to create centrepieces or garlands – elegant, affordable, and mindful of the climate.”

5. Share stories and spark conversations

Festive meals are about more than just eating – they’re an opportunity to connect and inspire.

“Community and family gatherings such as potlucks offer more than just a shared meal – they create opportunities to foster deeper connections around food,” says Marta. “When people cook, eat, and share dishes together, they naturally exchange knowledge and experiences about ingredients, recipes, and traditions, inspiring more sustainable and climate-friendly food practices.”

“Festive meals also offer a unique space for sparking discussions about climate action,” she says. “Simple, curious questions like, ‘What inspired this dish?’ or ‘Where did you get these ingredients?’ can lead to meaningful conversations that connect food choices to their impact on the climate.”

Sharing stories and tips can inspire your guests to adopt more sustainable habits and carry these ideas into their own celebrations. Starting such conversations also creates opportunities for collective action, encouraging a wider community to embrace climate-friendly practices.

Why climate-friendly celebrations matter

Every small, thoughtful step we take – from reducing food waste, to choosing seasonal ingredients and using natural decorations – contributes to lowering emissions and building a more climate-resilient future.

Ready to get started? Set a date in your calendar and use our Sustainable Potluck Meal tool to plan your own climate-conscious celebrations and do more for the planet this festive season.

Need recipe inspiration? Check out Zero Waste, More Taste! – a collection of 27 recipes with tips for reducing food waste, crafted by top European chefs.

Want to dig deeper? Explore the free online course and the Foodprint tool developed by the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs project to help culinary professionals on their sustainability journey.