A greener Christmas: Norland’s guide

Christmas is a time for joy, celebration, and indulgence – but it’s also a season when food waste and excess packaging can quickly pile up. At Norland, sustainable practice is at the heart of our programme. We believe that sustainability starts with small, mindful choices that add up to meaningful change. Join us in making this Christmas not just merry and bright, but greener too.

The UK generates around 30% more waste during the festive season than at any other time of year. From mountains of leftover food to rolls of single-use wrapping paper, the environmental impact of Christmas can be significant. This festive season, we’re embracing recipes and ideas that reduce waste to help our community enjoy a greener Christmas, especially those that can get little ones involved!

In this blog, we’ll share practical tips and creative ideas to make your celebrations more sustainable. You’ll find delicious food waste-saving recipes from Norland’s Food and Nutrition Lecturer Penny Bullion-Peters, perfect for turning leftovers into something special, and a handy guide to beeswax wraps from Senior Sewing Lecturer Kate Jaeger, helping you ditch plastic while keeping your festive treats fresh. Together, these simple swaps can make a big difference – for your home, your wallet and for the environment. Sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing the joy of the season, it’s about making mindful choices that add value to your festive celebrations.

Christmas dinner on table with plates and place settings

Reducing food waste

Norland’s food and nutrition lecturer, Penny Bullion-Peters has created innovative recipes designed to help make the most of ingredients and reduce waste in Christmas cooking.

Many products involved in Christmas cooking are resource intensive: requiring water, land, refrigeration, transport and processing that contribute to emissions. These recipes not only save money but reduce emissions from food waste in landfill.

Discover Penny’s recipes that transform commonly wasted foods – like Christmas cake, cheeseboard leftovers, and surplus vegetables – into decadent dishes for the days after Christmas. Download Penny’s recipes below.

Christmas Dinner spread on table with food and plates

Recipes for reducing food waste

Some sausages, an egg and bubble and squeak on a festive dinner table

Boxing Day Bubble and Squeak

Transform Christmas veggie leftovers into mini Bubble and
Squeak patties.

Download recipe

A soup on a dinner table with a Christmas cracker

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Transform cauliflower cheese into a silky, nourishing soup using minimal ingredients.

Download recipe

Cheeseboard Croquettes

Rescue rinds, corner pieces and cheeseboard scraps with Cheeseboard Croquettes.

Download recipe

Zero-waste Stock Pot

Reduce waste and stretch your grocery budget with Zero-waste
Stock Pots.

Download recipe

Reducing waste while cooking with children

Exploring in the kitchen isn’t just a fun activity to entertain children during the festive season – it’s also a wonderful opportunity to support the development of problem-solving, creativity, motor skills and confidence.

These Christmas Pudding Truffles are the perfect solution for transforming leftover pudding into something entirely new. Many households buy or make more pudding or cake than is eaten on the day, much of it left uncovered and wasted after Christmas. Instead of letting it dry out in the fridge, this indulgent recipe gives leftovers a second life as elegant petits fours, perfect for sharing. The simple, hands-on process of making the truffles is ideal for getting little ones involved.

Christmas Pudding Truffles

Eco-friendly plastic wrap alternative

Kate Jaegar, Norland’s Senior Sewing Lecturer, has also shared a simple, step-by-step guide to creating your own reusable wax wraps – an eco-friendly alternative to cling film that’s perfect for keeping leftovers fresh.

Championing sustainable alternatives, Kate also brought Sustainable Fashion Week (SFW) to Norland in 2024 and 2025 hosting SFW hubs with child-friendly activities focussed on reducing clothing landfill and raising money for charities within the space.

These DIY Beeswax Wraps are reusable, natural and ideal for keeping food fresh without the environmental impact of single-use plastics. Plus, making your own wraps is surprisingly simple and a great gift or way to add a personal touch to your kitchen.

You can watch Kate’s step-by-step video guide to making sustainable food wraps via YouTube above.

Download our DIY Beeswax Wraps step-by-step guide

Sustainability at Norland

At Norland, sustainability is deeply embedded in our ethos and educational approach. From integrating eco-conscious practices into the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and Care degree and diploma training, to offering dedicated modules that explore environmental responsibility in home-based childcare, our students are encouraged to champion sustainability wherever possible.

This commitment extends beyond the classroom to active participation in events such as Earth Day celebrations, Sustainable Fashion Week, and Green Team initiatives. Both our waste-reducing recipes and DIY reusable wrap guide were shared with Norland, Bath and Bath Spa university students at the recent Student Community Partnership Sustainable Christmas event.

By embedding values of reducing waste and considering sustainability into both teaching and practice, Norland empowers our community of future early years professionals to influence positive change in their everyday lives.