This pretty woven placemats are handmade from recycled newspaper, and roll up for easy storage after dinner at home, or stick a few in your picnic bag for summer. Crafted from junk into something beautiful, designs (including the thread) may vary, but loveliness comes as standard! The price shown is for one placemat only.
Everyone loves a summer picnic, but you don’t have to leave any litter behind. Use a personal ashtray to safely stub out butts, to prevent wildfires. Boycott beer brands that wrap in plastic rings (invisible in water, so harm wildlife) and don’t release balloons.
Keep dogs away (near your level!) from cooked bones, salt, crusty bread, chocolate, beer, salt fizzy drinks etc. Read more on food safety for people & pets.
Don’t give nearby wildfowl leftover crusty bread (can choke) nor salty leftovers like sandwiches (fat smears on feathers, affecting waterproofing/insulation).
If composting leftovers at home, just bin onions, garlic and other alliums (plus citrus and rhubarb) as acid could harm compost creatures.
Lunch Bags (from recycled cement bags)
These pretty woven lunch bags are not just strong and practical for taking your lunch on a picnic or to the park, but also help to reduce waste. Made ethically in India, they are made from recycled cement bags, a common source of waste.
Made from recycled plastic and coloured with azo-free dyes, wipe-clean. If laundered, use a microplastic catcher.
The bags feature magnetic popper closures, handy interior pockets and fold-out flat bases, perfect for standing on a table or worktop for easy packing.
The sacks are cleaned, shredded and then melted down into fine fibres. The fabric maker is then supplied the recycled HDPE fabric, where it is cut, stitched and finished.
Due to the recycling process, there may be slight variations in colour, and occasional imperfections in the weave. And brighter colours may fade over time, if exposed to bright sunlight.
Recycled Cotton Picnic Mats
Tikauo is a unique London brand that offers beautifully designed place mats, aprons and beach totes, made from waste cotton in the Indian textiles industry. The founder belongs to a family that makes textiles, and after writing a thesis on cotton waste, decided to make use of waste fabric, to make other goods and save it going to landfill.
The recycled cotton place mats are lovely for al fresco dining. This design is inspired by the Mughal Gardens in Kashmir.
Due to fillings for seat pads and cushion covers being made with recycled polyester, wipe-clean items. If laundered, use a microplastic catcher.
Everything is designed in London, and ethically made in India. Then sent in zero waste packaging.
Choose Reusable Food Containers
Qwetch lunch box is super-sturdy and leak-resistant, able to transport salad with dressing or high-liquid meals like curry. The box carries a whopping 850ml and has a comfortable carry handle, that folds down for easy storage. The insulated design keeps food warm for up to 5 hours, or cool for up to 7 hours.
Vegan food wraps are another option, to keep sandwiches fresh.Not for nut allergies. These contain flammable tree resin, so keep away from heat (microwaves, dishwasher, ignitions, ovens).
Silicone food wraps and boxes last for years, and are easy to recycle.
Pack Some Reusable Cutlery
Pack a few sets of zero waste reusable cutlery. Although now banned for sale in the UK, old plastic cutlery falls down storm drains and serrated fork prongs and knife edges harm marine creatures. Communities or offices can together purchase a one-off Terracycle Party Supplies Recycling Box to get it out of town forever.
Zero Waste Drinks Options
DASH Water is a really nice company, which offers several flavours of cans of sparkling water, all infused with wonky fruit that would otherwise have gone to landfill.
Never give sparkling water to pets, it could cause bloat. Take a clean bowl to fill up with fresh tap water.
Cupple is the ideal solution if you like coffee-on-the-go but feel you need to hydrate at the same time. The water bottle features a leakproof lid and carry loop, and the double-walled insulated cup features a sculpted cup lid to keep drinks hot for a few hours. The outer sleeve (made from powder-coated stainless steel has a twist-on design.
Don’t fill hot liquids to top to avoid scalding, and avoid wide-mouth bottles with hot drinks for children. Don’t place metal bottles in the microwave.
Zero Waste Picnic Bags
Items made from recycled bottles are not always that great for clothing (release microplastics in the machine). But wipe-clean items like this insulated cool bag are a great idea. This bag is made by the company Thermos (that makes the flasks) so you know that this is quality.
This bag uses up 18 PET plastic bottles in manufacture, to stop them going to landfill. The bag features a PVA-free PEVA heat-sealed lining, and a branded stainless steel zipper pull. There are also durable stainless steel fastenings, and an adjustable padded carry strap.
U-Konserve Recycled PET Ice Pack is made from recycled plastic bottles, and features a non-toxic gel pack inside for lunch bags, or to keep baby bottles or bumped knees cold. In 2 colours (seafoam and grey), just pop in the freezer with the cover on, place in your lunch box and the ice pack will keep your lunch cold for hours. The cover should usually remain moisture-free. The cover is machine-washable, air-dry. The gel pack is made from sodium polymer.
Karten picnic tables (also for children) are made from sturdy cardboard and biodegrade after use (they also make cardboard tents and chairs!) These tables are strong enough for four people (as long as you don’t jump on them!)
How to Make Your Own Vegan Quiche
Quiche is a popular cold lunch in England, especially as a picnic treat. But most store-bought quiche is made with factory-farmed eggs and bacon. This Easy Vegan Quiche (Rainbow Nourishments) includes a simple homemade crust filled with a blend of Tofoo, plant milk, vegan cheese, tomatoes, garlic/onion powder and ‘eggy-tasting Indian black salt. Top with caramelized onions and grated vegan cheese.
For ingredients packaging, most councils and supermarket bag bins now accept all soft plastics for recycling.
Most store-bought pastry contains palm oil. So make this vegan pastry (Doves Farm) by mixing cold vegan block butter with plain flour, a pinch of salt and water. Leave the dough to stand for 15 minutes (away from children and pets), then roll out on a floured surface.
This vegan quiche (Ela Vegan) is made with onion, peppers, leek and spinach, and homemade pastry made with chickpea flour. To get fancy, mix in vegan cheese and plant-based bacon!
These Vegan Quiche Muffins (Jessica in the Kitchen) are made with tomatoes and spinach. They’re a little more work, but then you don’t have the bother of making pastry. Leftover mini quiches can be stored in the fridge for a few days, in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a reusable silicone freezer bag.
This Quiche Recipe (Mississippi Vegan) makes use of store-bought vegan egg (this blogger uses a different brand as he’s from the Deep South, y’all!) Along with onion, spinach, tomatoes, vegan cheese and dill, plus a little nutmeg (so don’t give any leftovers to pets). Top with vegan shredded cheese (the recipe has a variation for a vegan bacon shallot quiche).
Crack’d makes a pea protein vegan egg replacement (rich in vitamin B12 and D). Its own ready-made quiche contains palm oil, but it has two good recipes to make your own, using their product: Mediterranean Quiche (tomato, garlic, broccoli, vegan cheese) or Coronation Quiche (spinach, tinned broad beans, vegan cheese, nutmeg).