Celebrate a waste-smart Christmas with Ätbart!

For the first Advent, Ätbart launched its handbook "Christmas without waste - a handbook with tips for a waste-smart Christmas". It is filled with concrete advice for creating a greener and more waste-friendly Christmas table and wants to inspire you to make use of leftovers in creative and good ways.

Christmas is a perfect time to start creating new, sustainable habits and traditions – habits that can live on long after the Christmas tree is taken out. By planning purchases and making use of leftovers, we can reduce food waste and at the same time inspire everyday routines that facilitate sustainable choices all year round. The handbook is written with Christmas in mind, but the tips are equally relevant for all holidays - regardless of religion or cultural tradition. Regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas, Ramadan, Hanukkah or other holidays, there is a common thought about showing care, taking care of what we have and celebrating in a sustainable way. Together, we can create holidays that are celebrated with consideration, respect and reduced food waste - for a better world and future.

And changes to how we celebrate Christmas are really needed! Did you know that:

• 69% of Swedes buy more than they need for Christmas.
• 41% worry about cooking too much food.
• Every fourth person throws away up to 25% of Christmas food.

It is a clear signal that we can do more to reduce Christmas food waste. Small adjustments in how we shop, plan and manage leftovers can make a big difference - both for the environment and the wallet.

Three smart tips for students before Christmas

1. Plan for the journey home
   Will you be traveling home over Christmas? Avoid buying fresh produce the days before you leave, so that nothing is left in the fridge. Try to eat what is at home or plan an "eat-from-the-freezer-week" before the trip home.
2. Share the food with neighbors or friends
   Do you have food at risk of going bad while you're away? Invite your roommates, neighbors or friends over for a joint "empty the fridge" dinner or share leftovers with friends or neighbors before you leave.
3. Freeze the food - even if it has been opened
   Food such as cheese, butter and bread are excellent for freezing. If you have food that you don't have time to eat before you travel, put it in the freezer. Don't forget to write notes with contents and dates on cans and packaging, so you know what you have when you get back.

Make Christmas care a habit for life

With small steps, we can create a Christmas that is both good and sustainable. And for those of you who want more tips on how you can reduce Christmas food waste, we have two suggestions:

• Follow Ätbarts Christmas calendar on Instagram. Every day until Christmas Eve, we offer tips and facts that will make your Christmas both smart and sustainable.
• Download the manual "Christmas without waste". Here you get inspiration, practical tips and knowledge that will help you make sustainable choices - from planning the Christmas table to how you take care of the leftovers. The manual is free and available here: Read or download the manual here.

Let the care of Christmas continue into 2025 - for the environment, the future and all of us.