Fire Up the Grill Guilt-Free: Your Guide to an Eco-Friendly BBQ
The long weekend is upon us and the English BBQ season is officially in full swing! Are you planning a gathering for friends and family and making the most of the glorious weather? Why not make it a sustainable one? Here’s our Thoroughly Modern Housekeeper guide on how to throw an eco-friendly BBQ that’s good for the planet and just as fun. Let’s get grilling!
Go Local, Go Green
Fresh & Local: Embrace the season! Shop at local farmer’s markets or your nearest greengrocers for fresh, local produce as this helps reduce transportation emissions and supports local farmers. Look for loose vegetables to minimise plastic packaging, and consider visiting a butcher for high-quality, responsibly sourced meat. Butchers will also a fantastic range of pre-prepped meat for cooking, helping to save you time, meaning you can spend more time grilling and catching up with friends.
Ditch Disposable, Embrace Reusable:
Real Plates, Real Fun: Skip the disposable plates, cups, and cutlery that will end up in landfills. With a lot of ‘recyclable’ disposable plates, these cannot be recycled due to the food residue left behind. We recommend using real dishes, cutlery and drinking glasses – it’s a classic touch and more durable. We understand if you’re worried about breakage, so why not opt for reusable camping plates and utensils – they’re lightweight and perfect for outdoor dining.
Refill & Refresh: Ditch the plastic bottles! Set up a drink station with refillable pitchers filled with delicious homemade lemonade or Pimm’s for adults. It’s a refreshing alternative and helps to reduce plastic waste. Plus, you can get creative with flavours!
Cook Smart, Waste Less:
Plan Your Portions: Try to avoid over-preparation. We can all get a bit excited when we decide to have a BBQ and want to include every dish under the sun, which can ultimately mean that not all of it will get eaten and will unfortunately get thrown away. Instead, plan your menu ahead of time and portion carefully to minimise food waste. Leftovers are great, but let’s aim for minimal discards.
Sustainable Fuel for the Flame:
Eco-Friendly Options: There are plenty of ways to fuel your BBQ sustainably! Look for FSC-certified charcoal, which comes from responsibly managed forests. For an even greener option, explore briquettes made from recycled materials like coconut shells, bamboo shavings, or olive pits. Briquettes are designed to be a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fuels and although they tend not to burn as high as lump wood charcoal, they can still get very hot. The burn you can get with briquettes means you can get a more reliable and constant temperature, perfect for those slow-roasted lamb legs and pork shoulders.
Waste Not, Want Not:
Recycling Champs: Set up clear recycling bins for glass bottles (looking at you, beer and Pimm’s drinkers!)
Composting Leftovers: Food waste happens, especially at BBQs. We all have children – and adults alike, who will grab more food than they can handle, which can be left unfinished. Designate a bin for leftover food scraps that haven’t been touched or are partially eaten. This food can be composted later, turning scraps into nutrient-rich soil.
Minimise Landfill Waste: Keep general waste to a minimum by encouraging recycling wherever possible. Our landfills are overflowing, so let’s do our part to reduce what gets sent there.
Keep the Party Going with Solar Lights
Shine On: As the sun goes down, have solar-powered lights set up to help light up the garden. As well as being super cosy, this will be far more environmentally friendly and will also help your electricity bill, that’s a win-win in our books!
Sustainable Soiree
By following these fantastic eco-friendly tips, you can host a fantastic BBQ that’s kind to the environment, whilst enjoying a grilled sausage or two (burnt sausages optional). So fire up your BBQ, gather your loved ones, and celebrate the long weekend with a sustainable twist!
