Thanksgiving Food Waste Reduction Tips (PHOTOS)

Thanksgiving and other holidays near the end of the year are a great opportunity to spend time with loved ones. Unfortunately, the holiday season also means a lot more household waste.

According to the Worldwatch Institute, Americans produce "an extra 5 million tons of household waste each year between Thanksgiving and New Year's, including three times as much food waste as at other times of the year."

Worldwatch Institute also reports that one third of all food produced is wasted, and developed countries are responsible for 222 millions tons of food waste annually, the same amount as all of the food produced in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

With a global population that recently hit seven billion, remembering what you actually need for your family is important. HuffPost blogger Ann Gentry writes, "On your next trip to the grocery store, be mindful of how much you buy."

As you prepare and clean up after the Thanksgiving holiday, check out these 10 tips to help reduce the amount of food that is wasted.

List and captions courtesy of Nourishing the Planet and Worldwatch Institute.