Summer is here and it’s the time of year where we head outdoors as much as possible. Barbecues and picnics and Al Fresco dining are essential to our enjoyment of summer. Here at Kitchen & Cook Shop, we realised that taking your dining room outside often means turning to plastic cups and plates for safety and ease of transport. This is by no means an environmentally friendly option, especially if the plastic plates and cups are the throw away variety. Although plastic outdoor tableware is reusable, there is no doubt that it will eventually find it’s way to land fill when it has reached the end of its usefulness.
Bamboo – a popular alternative material.
Whilst looking for alternatives to plastic, we discovered that there is a wide range of products made from Bamboo. As a material bamboo is environmentally friendly, biodegradable and comes from sustainable sources. It is also lightweight and so makes a great alternative to plastic for your picnic and tableware.
Another option is glass, but although it is also an environmentally friendly option, it is not always suitable for outdoor dining if there are children involved and breakages could happen. Glass is also quite heavy and could weigh down your picnic hamper or rucksack if you plan to walk with your picnic.
Lightweight metal such as aluminium and stainless steel is also a good alternative to plastic. Think metal flasks to keep drinks cool, instead of plastic bottles. Aluminium wine coolers and metal cafetieres all make great environmentally friendly options.
We put together an ideas list in our Amazon shop with a wide variety of plastic free outdoor tableware options. Below are a few our favourites.
Cambridge Bamboo Tableware Flamingo Design
The Cambridge range of Bamboo tableware comes in a range of options with a trendy flamingo design which we love. You can have a set of plates and bowls for four or eight people, a set of four cups, serving jug and carry tray, chip n dip tray, with serving bowl and utensils, or just a serving bowl and utensils. You can also have the full set of everything in a setting for four or eight.
The bamboo is strong and durable and will not break. It is also dishwasher safe which is an added bonus.
Sustainable Colourful Drinking cups
This set of four drinking cups are made from bamboo and environmentally friendly products. They come in three colours, pink, blue and green. You can use these cups for hot or cold drinks, and they are dishwasher safe. You are less likely to drop these cups as they have a slightly rough feel to the outside which acts as a non-slip surface. They won’t break or splinter like glass. A great environmentally friendly alternative to plastic.
Set of 2 Amaoma Jujube Wood Cups
These wooden cups would make a fine alternative to the traditional glass. We think they’d be great for drinking small coffees, wine, fruit juice or punch without the worry of glass breakages.
These cups are made from grade A Jujube wood and have a 200ml capacity, which is quite small so they are perfect for taking on picnics. There is also a small tray available which really sets off this set of wooden cups.
VonShef Wine Cooler Bottle Holder
The VonShef Wine Cooler is made from stainless steel with a double walled construction to keep your wine cold. It’s lightweight and portable and will keep your wine cooler for longer without the need for ice. It is designed to fit all standard wine bottles. We like this stylish plastic free stainless steel wine cooler.
See our full list of environmentally friendly Outdoor Dining ideas here, dinner sets, cups, cutlery, food covers, and more! Let us know if you have any favourites we’ve not included.
