How bad is food waste on Thanksgiving About 200 million pounds of turkey are thrown out over the Thanksgiving holiday week, according to estimates from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

About 200 million pounds of turkey alone are thrown out after Thanksgiving, said Yvette Cabrera, interim food waste director for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021. We are republishing it as part of our holiday coverage. With the holiday season underway, it is a time for food and eating. A lot of it.

Cut out the "high-ticket" items Nimoityn recommends avoiding some of what he calls the "high-ticket" items that are often added at the table, such as butter, salt and sauces.

Updated Nov. 22 at 12:32 p.m. to clarify that Americans may eat as many as 3,000 calories at a typical Thanksgiving meal.