By Katie Rider,

Senior Environmental Education Planner

Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner. You know what that means? Great commercials, delicious snacks, and oh yeah…football somewhere in between . For me, the day is less about the pigskin on TV and more about the pigs-n-a-blanket, the chips and dip, the wings…man, I love the Super Bowl! Don’t you?

Whether you’re an avid football fan or you’re like me, more interested in the ads, there is one thing we probably all have in common that Sunday…the food we’ll be snacking on. Football finger foods are delicious, but notoriously greasy. Whatever treats you choose to indulge in, make sure when the party’s over and it’s time to clean up, that the fats, oils, and grease from preparing and serving these snacks end up in the trash and not down the drain. When poured or washed down the drain, fats, oils, and grease from cooking can clog sink drains and pipes, causing backups in a home’s plumbing. Calling a plumber to clean up the mess could cost anywhere from $150 to $450 – and that’s just for the first hour! To keep the plumber from crashing your gameday party, follow these simple steps:

1.Pour cooled oil and grease into a container, store in the freezer to solidify, then throw it all in the garbage on trash day.
2.Use a sink strainer to catch the scraps when peeling, slicing, and cutting vegetables for coleslaw, mashed potatoes, or vegetable trays.
3.Avoid using the garbage disposal; throw scraps in the trash or compost them.
4.Before washing dishes, scrape food particles and batters into the trash. Dessert batters, sauces, and icings have a high fat content which could clog drains.

Kee

ping these tips in your playbook will ensure a winning Super Bowl party every time!