How to have a zero waste picnic

There’s no better way to enjoy the spring/summer than a picnic with your loved ones. But what about all the plastic cups, crisp packets and packaging you’re left with?  One look at a park bin at the end of a summer’s day says it all. The beauty of nature is too often interrupted by piles of litter left behind by a little too carefree (or should we say care-less) picnic-goers. If you are planning to picnic your way through spring and summer, why not make a little effort to make your picnic plastic-free.

Here are our 5 easy ways to plan and pack for a delicious zero waste picnic. 

1. Plan ahead

This is our number one tip! Planning ahead will help you avoid the last-minute rush to shops and make a few simple dishes from scratch. Invest in some lightweight flatware, fill water bottles at home and think about how you’ll carry it all to the park.

2. Make your own dips 

Supermarket dips always come in plastic packaging so why not make your own. Hummus takes no time at all to blend up and you can get creative with what pulses you use. Why not try our founder Pearl’s favourite go-to, Thai Chilli Lime Hummus recipe from the Wholesome Cook. 

Ingredients you’ll need

– 440g (1 can) chickpeas liquid reserved

– 2 tbsp tahini

– 4 tbsp peanut oil

– ½ cup lime juice

– 2 springs fresh coriander chopped finely

– 1 red long chilli deseeded and chopped finely

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until all chickpeas have been puréed. Add reserved chickpea liquid to the dip, if you prefer a more runny consistency. You can serve with crackers or vegetable sticks. Place in an airtight container. Hummus can be stored up to 4 days when refrigerated.

Image & Recipe Source: The Wholesome Cook

3. Use a lightweight bamboo plate, or a Tupperware lid instead of disposable plates

If you feel like getting fancy and want to eat off plates for your picnic don’t go for single use plastic ones, instead choose a lightweight alternative that you won’t mind carrying home, such as these bamboo ones or if you’re feeling less fancy your Tupperware lid doubles up as a fantastic makeshift plate

4. Clean with Resparkle

With COVID still very much our reality, don’t forget the importance of hand hygiene. The pandemic has sadly led to a 20% fold increase in plastic waste globally with hand wash plastic bottles being one of the contributors.

 Switch to Resparkle’s refillable foaming hand wash that now comes in this handy travel-sized 50ml bottle. Replenish with our powdered refills packed in compostable sachets. Simply dilute with your own tap water. As it’s made of 100% food-grade natural ingredients, it can even be used to clean your fruits & veggies! Simply apply and wipe with a napkin.

5. It’s a wrap!

Image Source:  Pointful Things

Cling film and tin foil aren’t easy to recycle so get creative with how you wrap your sandwiches and bites. Use clean tea towels, and they can double up as napkins once you’ve finished. Try the Furoshiki Japanese method of wrapping with cloth – here’s a video tutorial on how to do Furoshiki wrapping 😉

Enjoy the warmer days of freedom with your loved ones. After the year we’ve been through, I’m sure you’d agree nothing beats sitting outdoors and breathing in fresh warm air and soaking in the much needed mood-booster vitamin D 🌞