Reduce food waste this holiday season

Food waste significantly increases from November to New Year's. Why? Our Johnson County community celebrates a diversity of holidays during this time of year, and one thing most of them have in common is food.

Consider these tips to donate quality food to those in need and to reduce food waste this holiday season.

Donate quality food.

• Table to Table, Johnson County's food rescue non-profit organization, accepts all food and personal hygiene items that are accepted by our pantry partners and distributes them equitably across the Johnson County Food Access Network.
• Most needed items and donation drop-off instructions for the major pantries in Johnson County:
  • CommUnity Food Pantry
  • Coralville Community Food Pantry
  • North Liberty Community Pantry
  • Food Pantry at Iowa

Reduce food waste at your holiday gatherings.

• Shop your kitchen and make a shopping list before going to the grocery store.
• Share leftovers with guests.
• Use up leftover ingredients.
• Freeze food that will not be used right away.
• Compost coffee grounds, eggshells, meat bones, and other food scraps.

Visit the Love Food, Fight Waste web page for a full list of food donation and food waste reduction resources.