Planning a zero waste barbecue
Finally, summer is here (although the weather might disagree). Sunny days and longer evenings can only mean one thing: it’s barbecue season!
Rather than grabbing a ginormous pack of barbecue meat and a disposable grill tray that takes forever to light, consider how you can have a waste-free barbecue this year. It’s easier than you might imagine...
Invest in a reusable barbecue
The cost of disposables soon adds up and each one ends up in the bin. An inexpensive reusable one will last for years if looked after.
Have a butchers at your local butchers
Your local butcher is a top bet for a waste-free barbie, as you can buy exactly the amount of meat that you want, rather than what’s on a deal at the supermarket.
And, as you are buying fresh, any meat that isn’t cooked can be frozen for another time.
Pick up some picnic-friendly reusable plates
If you’re happy to take your china up the garden then great, but if not then reusable plastic plates are a great alternative to using disposable ones.
Bring a recycling box
Putting a cardboard box out for recyclables will help you catch as much recyclable stuff as you can. If you’re barbecuing in the garden, put your recycling boxes out for people and get them to sort it as they go.
Use up leftovers
Barbecue leftovers are fantastic for creating amazing next-day sandwiches, curries or stews.
Leftover meat and veg can be chopped and stirred through pasta and rice, or blitzed into soups. Raw meat should be stored separately to ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination. Once cooked, take care to store it correctly.
Recycle as much as you can at home
Check the recycling sorter to find out how to recycle glass bottles from beer, wine and spirits or cardboard sleeves from your burger packs, beer boxes and wine carriers in your area.
Food waste
Veg peelings, sausages that turned accidentally to charcoal and any food you couldn’t use up later can all be added to your home compost bin or recycled in your food waste caddy.
Clean up
Investing in a good wire brush to clean the barbecue will save dozens of disposable scourers in the long run. Don’t forget that the plastic bottles from all cleaning products are also recyclable when empty.
