Spring has finally sprung! The warm sunshine has never felt so good after what was a long, rainy winter for us in San Francisco. The combination of great weather and Earth Week warrants a picnic, wherever you are! Here are some tips for planning a picnic lunch that’s good for you and the planet:
1) Get your hands on some fresh, seasonal produce. The Seasonal Food Guide can help you figure out what’s in season where you live. Buying seasonal produce is better for your health because the longer produce has to sit in trucks or on shelves, the more nutrients it loses. Buying seasonal also reduces the environmental impact associated with shipping food over long distances (truck emissions, preservatives, waxes, etc.). Whatever produce you buy, try to get it from a local farmers market, or at least not wrapped in plastic!
2) Fresh bread! If you have a chance to stop by a local bakery, or even just the grocery store’s bakery section, don’t forget this for your picnic! There are few things in this world more wonderful than warm, freshly-baked bread. Bonus: buying bread from the bakery eliminates the need for plastic packaging that most store-bought bread comes in!
3) Bulk snacks are a must. If you live near a grocery store that has a bulk section, this is absolutely key for an environmentally-friendly picnic. Bring a jar (or any container really), weigh it before you fill up, and voilà! Zero waste snacks. Trail mix, dried fruit, pretzels, and chocolate are some of the options you may come across. Tasty for you and good for the Earth!
4) Shop from conscious companies for your other snacking needs. When venturing outside of the bulk section, supporting B-Corps and 1% For the Planet members is a great way to put your money to work! Look for these logos:
5) Make something at home! Your friends will be beyond impressed if you show up with some homemade cookies or some other delicious snack. We have a few recipe ideas for the cooks out there: check out our Honey Cinnamon IPA Cheesecake recipe, a killer Banana Bread recipe, or our leftovers-no-more Egg Strata recipe.
6) Bring reusable utensils. If you’re packing your picnic at home, this shouldn’t be too hard, but it’s an important reminder nonetheless. Bring your own cutlery, plates, reusable water bottles, and wine glasses. This makes for a more suave picnic anyways!
Now you’re all set for an environmentally-friendly Earth Week picnic. We hope you enjoy some good weather, take a breath of fresh air, and remember how lucky we are to have this awesome planet to picnic on!