Did you need something else to love about Thanksgiving? Here you go: it’s a perfect poster child holiday for zero food waste. Thanksgiving, after all, falls before another very important holiday, unofficially known as Leftovers Day. More than just plates full of our favorite foods, Thanksgiving is also a day to respect and honor the environment, farmworkers, and others who all made it possible. We get to appreciate our food and share it with many loved ones, and really, that’s the same goal that the movement for zero food waste shares. If you love what good food gives you, you’ll really love not wasting it.
After all kinds of inspiration shared last month at the Zero Food Waste Forum, we’re not surprised that messages and articles connecting Thanksgiving to zero food waste are popping up everywhere. We like this post from Food Tank “9 Ways to a Food Waste-Free Thanksgiving” for ideas to bring to your meal.
Over at today’s South Berkeley Farmers’ Market, there’s good food that’s been grown with care for your holiday meal. As a reminder, Thursday’s North Berkeley Farmers’ Market will be closed to observe Thanksgiving, so this is also the chance for those in town to grab fresh ingredients to last until Saturday, when our Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market will be running.
Check out our Farmers’ Market managers top picks and dish ideas from today’s market, to bring something special to your holiday meals:
- Puntarelle from Dirty Girl: try with a blended anchovy and olive oil dressing
- Japanese sweet potatoes from Solano Mushroom farm: split them in half, lightly salt and sprinkle with sesame oil, roast at 425 until slightly blackened.
- Cauliflower from Swanton Berry Farm: instead of mashed potatoes, make a macrobiotic food known as “millet mashers,” mash half steamed cauliflower and half cooked millet.
- Winter squash from our newest produce farmer in the market, Oya Organics, is amazing right now.
- Persimmons, pears, and more fall fruit from Woodleaf Farm
- Tomato sauces, canned tomatoes and many preserved tomato products from Gattonelli
- Apples and cider from Pomo Tierra Orchards, making a special appearance at today’s market
- Corn flour, legumes and grains from Full Belly Farm
- Chickens and pork chops, ribs, roasts and sausage from Riverdog Farm
See you out at the market today from 2 – 6:30 PM!
[Photo by Lizard10979 on Flickr]
