Why do Iowans eat their Christmas trees?

If you’re low on food in your cupboards and don’t feel like heading to your local Hy-Vee, then I may have found your next gourmet meal.

And the ingredients might still be in your house after the holidays.

The Christmas season is officially over and it’s around now that you’ll see a lot of procrastinators throwing their real Christmas trees in the trash. Could there be another use for them that doesn’t take up space in the landfill?

Now it seems people have found another way to get rid of their Christmas trees; by eating them.

No, you can’t just take a bite out of your tree with all its ornaments on it, there are a few things you’ll need to do before eating.

First of all, you can only eat CERTAIN TREES, some are downright poisonous. And I know I don’t need to remind you that eating a plastic tree is also a really bad idea, but I just wanted to cover all the bases.

Do not make these recipes on the following trees: yew, cypress and cedar. Also make sure there are no pesticide residues on it.

Something that is slowly gaining popularity is the practice of eat the needles on your Christmas tree. The only trees you can make these recipes with are fir, spruce, and pine, according to experts.

There are many options if you want to incorporate pine needles into your diet. Pine needles can be dried and mixed into a powder which can be used to add some citrus flavor to your dish, according to some cooks.

Another option is a “pine needle salad dressing” where you can infuse the greens in olive oil. Read the full recipe here.