Longer days with warming rays of sunshine herald the arrival of spring and bid farewell to the dark season. Crocuses and tulips are the first splashes of colour in parks, gardens and in flower pots on the windowsill. As early as February, mild temperatures lure people outdoors – for forest bathing and picnics in the green countryside. Because nature grants us the most beautiful places. To keep it that way, we should treat nature with mindfulness – and use sustainable picnic essentials when eating outdoors.
A picnic basket is in a proper style with real (champagne) glasses, crockery, cutlery and cloth napkins for a romantic picnic in the countryside. Food, fruit and vegetables as well as cutlery, cups and plates – we own most of these utensils for a successful picnic at home. If you want to lighten, you can use sustainable picnic esentials that can either be reused or recycled after use.
As a general rule, conventional petroleum-based plastic is taboo! Not only does its manufacture burn fossil resources, but – once forgotten at a picnic – plastic products lie around in nature for centuries and, gradually spreading into the environment as microplastics. Fortunately, there are now many sustainable alternatives for eco-friendly picnic equipment.
1. Returnable tableware instead of disposable tableware
From 2021, the EU plastic ban will come into force. This means that typical plastic picnic utensils will also disappear. Now it is about time to switch to reusable tableware for picnics and parties. Sturdy, lightweight and completely plastic-free is tableware made of bamboo fibres and cellulose. Dishes made of bioplastics are also colourful and reusable. For this material, natural raw materials such as tree sap, meadow grass, minerals, waxes and vegetable starch are used. If disposable tableware cannot be avoided at all, there is fully compostable disposable tableware made from dried palm leaves and party plates and cutlery made from fallen banana leaves.
2. Reusable Cutlery
Nice and lightweight is reusable cutlery made of bamboo, bioplastic and olive wood. So this cutlery is made from renewable resources and is recyclable. For minimalists, the sporks (fork and spoon in one) is very practical and finds space even in the backpack or laptop bag on every trip.
3. Reusable Food Storage Containers instead of Plastic Containers
If you don't have much time for food preparation, you can rely on delicious food from the organic market, Italian supermarket, Turkish takeaway, sushi restaurant or delicatessen shop. Food storage containers you bring by yourself can be filled with antipasti, olives, feta, dried tomatoes. Nuts, dried fruit and chocolate can be found in zero waste shops.
But you can also prepare vegetable slices from peppers or cucumbers, cherry tomatoes with dips such as sour cream or curd with herbs at home and fill them in reusable lunch boxes and long-lasting bowls. Or how about baguette croque monsieur or American sandwich? Whether as a vegan variant or topped with cheese and sausage – packed in a BPA-free lunch box or wax cloth, the sandwiches stay fresh and are also easy to transport. And, aluminium foil and cling film can stay where they belong – with the manufacturer! Because once they are left with their products, they will rethink their business strategy and switch to sustainable packaging. Consumption is power – and that we have firmly under control when it comes to picnic accessories!
Tip: Before empty jars and bottles are disposed of in the bottle bank, they can also be used for picnics. Homemade salads, dips and desserts are well protected and look appetising in a preserving jar with a fastener or in a rinsed screw top jar. To keep the salad fresh at the picnic, it is best to transport the salad dressing in a separate bottle and pour it over the salad just before serving.
4. Refillable bottles instead of PET bottles
A picnic without drinks is a dry affair. But how do you transport tap water, juice, beer, wine and sparkling wine? Alcoholic drinks are usually packaged in glass bottles. Avoid wine in tetra packs and canned beer, even if they are easier to carry.
Drinks are best transported in returnable bottles. Glass bottles are admittedly a bit heavy, but they last a long time if you don't drop them. Lightweight and also ecological alternatives are stainless steel flasks or bottles made of bioplastic, which are a good alternative to disposable plastic bottles from the supermarket. For hot drinks such as coffee and tea, thermo mugs made of stainless steel ensure long-lasting enjoyment. Double-walled thermos bottles are particularly recommended: They have better insulating properties.
5. Also important: picnic blanket, basket or backpack, corkscrew, bottle opener, small chopping board with knife and a cooling bag. Of course, these important picnic accessoiries are also available in sustainable quality at Greenpicks.
Sustainable picnic essentials from Greenpicks avoid unnecessary plastic waste. The environmentally friendly picnic equipment consists of ecologically sound materials. It is robustly processed and practical. Since it is so pretty, of course, you can also use it for barbecues and camping. This is how culinary outdoor events can be made sustainable. Our sustainability criteria show you the ecological quality. Even if you buy picnic accessories online, you can therefore recognise their environmentally friendly properties at first glance.
Subscribe for our free newsletter
I would like to be informed regularly about sustainable offers via email.
Sustainability at Greenpicks
Our own business: At Greenpicks sustainability is in every single detail – with conviction. We use green electricity, have a green bank account, let our flyers be printed green and much more:
Greenpicks
Legal aspects
Service FAQ
Discover more
© Copyright: 2012-2024 Greenpicks ® – Eco & Upcycling Market. All rights reserved. * For the delivery time, workdays refer to the weekdays Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays.