{"id":9063,"date":"2025-08-24T11:57:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T01:57:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastover55\/?p=9063"},"modified":"2025-11-06T23:52:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T12:52:37","slug":"planet-friendly-party-tips-healthy-low-waste-central-coast-mums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastover55\/planet-friendly-party-tips-healthy-low-waste-central-coast-mums\/","title":{"rendered":"Throw a Planet-Friendly Party! 5 Tips for Healthy, Low-Waste Family Celebrations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Carin Clegg, Accredited Practising Dietitian<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had a dollar for every time I heard a client or parent mention to me that when they or their kids have a celebration there is too much junk food, I would be a kajillionaire! It seems like everyone is trying to be healthy, but somehow at these special times, going overboard is the norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only are these foods not good for our bodies, with little nutrients, they increase our risk of chronic disease like diabetes, heart disease and cancer but they are not good for our planet when it come to the amount of processing, transportation, packaging relating to the greenhouse gas emissions, water used and toxic waste generated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we are trying to reduce our eco footprint the first best thing is to eat only what our body needs and minimise over\u2013indulging in foods our bodies do not need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebration times are a great opportunity to help your family and circle of friends be healthy, try some new foods and look after the planet. When people have been role modelling eating planet friendly foods these foods may be more easily accepted at home by the other members of the family who may be a bit hesitant to try those veggie patties or hummus dips and vegetable sticks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are my five top ideas to host a Planet Friendly Party that will help everyone keep healthy too.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan not to over cater too much for food<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about the last event you hosted, how many people and how much food was consumed, then adjust how much you prepare and purchase accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebration times are a great opportunity to help your family and circle of friends be healthy, try some new foods and look after the planet<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Choose fresh wholesome foods, minimally packed foods as much as possible<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could even shop at your local wholefood store. Think of easy\u2013to\u2013make homemade dips and veggie sticks, bowls of nuts or trail mix, popcorn or roasted legumes for nibbles. To accompany dessert, serve a fruit platter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose to reuse cutlery and crockery<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask family and friends to borrow if you need or check out the Party Kit Network. You may need to ask for a few kitchen helpers for the washing up but many hands make light work and most people do not mind helping out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MANAGE WASTE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell your guests how to dispose of waste such as what goes into the compost bin, worm farm, how to recycle right and what goes to the landfill bin. Signs work really well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also arrange for leftovers to be taken home to be eaten by asking people to bring a container.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reduce the amount of \u2018sometimes foods\u2019 being brought by others<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask people to bring specific food items and tell people why you do not want an excess of \u2018sometimes foods\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some suggestions I have heard from families:<\/p>\n\n\n\n