Eco-Friendly Entertaining
Published March 31st, 2008
Many people in North America now participate in local recycling programs, and are doing small things in their life to help the earth. All of these little things add up. Anybody who is into being frugal knows that caring for the environment often goes hand in hand with saving money. I’m not talking about being cheap, I’m talking about using good quality products with less waste.
This post is about taking that idea just one step further: Entertaining with the environment in mind. One of the best and most time-tested ways of forging relationships is over food. What if you had a dinner party and the goal was to create little or no true garbage?
This can be accomplished by planning well, getting everybody on board, minimizing packaging, composting the organic waste (if you have the ability), and making a donation.
Planning
One of my tried and true ways to save money is to plan well ahead of time. Things like how many guests you’re expecting, the theme, what you’d like to do for entertainment, and what food and drinks you’d like to serve. By theme, I don’t necessarily mean a novelty theme, just how relaxed, fun and formal (or informal) you’d like to make it. Look for some great food ideas in recipe books, magazines, TV shows, and online. It doesn’t have to cost a huge amount of money to have everyone be happy and well fed. If you see an expensive pre-prepared dish you’ve bought at the grocery store or at a restaurant, figure out how to make it yourself for less. An important part of the planning process is knowing exactly how many people will be there and any food and drink allergies or dislikes. Just a note about drinks: Always have just a couple of drink options to keep the cost down. You can have fun and create or find one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic fun signature drink for the evening.
Getting everybody on board
Announce to your guests that we’re going green for this party, and the goal is to not create any garbage! In keeping with your theme, think about the types of dishes, cutlery, glasses, and napkins you will need. In the spirit of your plan to create no waste, talk to your close family and friends and pool your resources for supplies. All of your guests don’t have to eat out of exactly the same plates! Some people will use complimentary colours of plates like black and white, or blue and yellow, or even white dishes but different shapes. By planning well and borrowing, you won’t have the waste or the cost of paper plates, napkins, cutlery and cups. Keep a detailed list of who loaned what, run everything carefully through the dishwasher or washing machine after the party before you return them. If your guests really love and respect you, they’ll be so impressed by your style and creativity, they’ll be happy to help out and cut down on waste!
Minimizing packaging
Once you have your plan, buy the ingredients in bulk, and find other ways to minimize the packaging brought into your home. For example, if you buy whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats, this will save on buying a whole bunch of smaller containers and overall less expensive than pre-prepared food. Bringing your own cloth or other recyclable grocery bags, will cut down on more plastic bags. If you to buy food in packages, make sure they are either reusable within your home or through your community recycling program.
Composting the organic waste
As you’re doing your prep work, like chopping and peeling fruits and veggies, have a bowl handy to collect all the waste. Anything that is organic, including eggshells, can be composted easily with the exception of grease and fat. If you don’t have your own backyard composter or community composting program, ask around until you find a friend, family member, or acquaintance who will accept your food waste. Most people would be happy to have more material for their composter!
Make a donation
Use this wonderful social opportunity to not only help the environment, but to help other people or animals too. Get each guest or family to bring one item for a group donation after the party. Some suggestions include non-perishable items for a food bank, an item from a list of perishable items needed for a local soup kitchen, gently used coats or shoes for a local charity, or pet supplies for a local animal shelter or rescue.
Have fun with your family and friends knowing you are saving money and the environment!
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