Eco-Living: Picnic Essentials

Replace your plastic sandwich bags and cling-film with beeswax wraps. This will help to reduce waste and minimise your carbon footprint, while keeping your picnic food fresher for longer. To clean them, simple wipe a cloth over them, then fold them up and store to use again.

From cucumber and carrot sticks to cut apples or nuts, you can source most of your picnic finger-food from zero-waste (or “bulk”) stores or supermarkets without the packaging. This cuts down on your single-use waste and these reusable silicone bags from Stasher are perfect for packaging them up.

The first thing to do is prepare food from scratch at home in advance of the picnic. As well as saving you some pennies, this will stop you from buying food in single-use plastic. Pack your food in non-toxic reusable containers and use them to store your leftovers for a snack later in the day or to bring home for another meal.

Instead of throw away kitchen paper, bring along reusable paper towels. They’re great for wiping hands, absorbent enough to clean up any spillages and can be put in the wash when you get home, ready for the next picnic.

To keep comfortable when you’re having your picnic, you’re going to need a picnic blanket. If you haven’t got one, consider using another blanket or towel that you already have instead of buying new. But, if you really want a forever blanket, invest in one of these recycled cotton ones that come in so many great colours. They’re lightweight and waterproof, without compromising on comfort or the environment.

I love the W&P Design on-the-go cutlery set, not just for picnics but can be used at any time. The soft silicone pouch means it doesn’t scratch anything and you can wash it easily, and it’s surprisingly lightweight. I’ve also included Black+Blum on the right, and the Joseph Joseph set is also a favourite.

Bring a reusable bottle for water! Skipping bottled water saves you money and the environment and most parks have somewhere you can fill it up. A stainless steel bottle will also keep your water cold. Check out Chilly’s, Swell, Kinto or Hydroflask for a variety of different sizes and colours.

If you are bringing alcoholic drinks, don’t forget to bring reusable cups or glasses. Made from food-grade stainless steel, these tumblers are not only lightweight and dishwasher safe but will keep your drink cold. They also have a lid to help prevent any spills!

Sometimes drinking from a straw is a necessity- think Pimms, Aperol Spritz, G&T… So if that’s your drink of choice, bring a reusable version. You can pick from stainless steel, glass, bamboo or silicone and the sets usually include a cleaner and pouch to hold them.

It’s my belief that everyone should have a cooler bag they love and enjoy using. It makes picnics and any meet ups in Summer that much easier, to carry your things, and keep your food cold. It’s hard to find a good one- my favourite was an impulsive Zara purchase years ago, and later I bought this bigger sized one from H&M. I love this one by Ferm Living and the Bellroy tote also gets a shout out.

Depending where you live, this is not a need, but a nice to have. Simply light a stick and pop it in the grass close by, as a natural way to ward off any bugs from coming near your picnic!

Having reusable plates is a key element of an eco-friendly picnic. You can choose from enamel, wheat, melamine, or bamboo. My favourite company is Denmark based, Rice by Rice (search ‘Rice DK’ on Amazon). In the UK, John Lewis and M&S will often have a picnic set that includes plates, bowls and cups- just search for ‘melamine’ on their sites.

Though most people have already switched to a reusable water bottle. What about an insulated bottle for wine, or a pre-made mocktail? It’ll keep things cold for 12 hours and if you choose one with a wider mouth like Corkcicle, you can add ice too.