Thanksgiving is the perfect time to celebrate community and make environmentally-conscious choices. At the Source., we’re all about supporting local Shreveport businesses while helping you plan a memorable and eco-friendly holiday. Here’s how you can keep your Thanksgiving low-waste and community-focused:
1. Choose Local and Seasonal Ingredients For the freshest ingredients with a lower environmental footprint, shop locally! Mahaffey Farms offers pasture-raised meats and seasonal produce. Market on Line has a variety of fresh, local products perfect for your Thanksgiving table. For specialty cuts, The Chop Shop has you covered. Stop by Sunshine Health Market to pick up organic and bulk spices and pantry essentials, perfect for rounding out your meal.
2. Opt for a Zero-Waste Table Setting Skip the disposables and set a beautiful table with reusable dinnerware, cloth napkins, and eco-friendly decor. At the Source., we suggest sustainable-yet-stylish reusable napkins to elevate your Thanksgiving meal. We also offer bulk cleaning supplies to help you handle post-feast cleanup without single-use plastic.
3. Shop Bulk to Reduce Packaging Waste Bulk shopping is a great way to minimize waste and get just the right amount of what you need. From spices to grains and baking ingredients, Market on Line and Sunshine Health Market have a variety of Thanksgiving essentials. Bring your own containers to cut down on packaging for your herbs and spices at Sunshine, making it easy to shop sustainably.
4. Include Plant-Based Dishes Incorporating plant-based options into your meals is a tasty method to lessen their environmental impact. By shopping locally for seasonal vegetables such as sweet potatoes, collard greens, and squash, you can enjoy a lower environmental footprint since your produce is freshly picked rather than shipped across the country while still unripe. Additionally, Chop Shop and Market on Line offer a variety of plant-based products that are ideal for sides or main dishes.
5. Support Local Beverage Makers Complement your meal with delightful beverages! Shreveport offers an amazing selection of local choices, including ciders, wines, and beers. For unique and vibrant cocktail selections along with eclectic wines, Cuban is our top recommendation. Don’t forget to try local brews from Great Raft Brewing and The Seventh Tap — you really can’t go wrong bringing an Oktoberfest to dinner.
6. Compost Food Scraps Reduce waste by composting your food scraps. If you’re not composting at home, look into local options for community composting through the community gardens around town to ensure your food scraps get a second life.
7. Thoughtful, Local Host Gifts Heading to someone else’s home? Consider bringing a sustainable gift that supports Shreveport businesses. Clean Slate Botanicals has wonderful handcrafted, eco-friendly gifts, and we offer a range of sustainable items at the Source. that make perfect host gifts as well. Share the joy of local with your loved ones this holiday season. Let’s make this Thanksgiving one that celebrates the Shreveport community in a sustainable way. Visit us at the Source. to find everything you need for making those simple swaps into a sustainable, delicious holiday! Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays from the Source.!