Why Disposable Utensils Can Be A Disastrous Picnic Option

There's a point in most adults' lives — usually post-college or after your first, hard-earned, big paycheck — when you upgrade from paper plates and red Solo cups to a nice set of dishware. For some reason, however, many of us continue to schlep cheap, disposable place settings to our picnics. Sure, tossing everything in one fell swoop once you're finished may be convenient as there's nothing to pack, wash, and put away. But, eating with single-use products is reckless for a few reasons. 

Perhaps the worst offenders of all picnic accessories are plastic utensils. According to the National Geographic, they can take up to 1,000 years to decompose since they're too small and too oddly shaped for recycling machines to process. Plastic forks, spoons, and knives have other failings, too. For example, they're easily lost on the ground and then left behind when dining al fresco. Not to mention that they're often not up to the task of slicing through anything tougher than a pat of softened butter. Ever try cutting into a steak with those flimsy utensils? You'll likely work your way through an entire pack as they tend to snap in two.

In any case, the environmental damage of disposable utensils is truly difficult to ignore, particularly after the pandemic, a time during which takeout and delivery services boomed. Of course, those takeout baggies didn't just contain food. Many came with complimentary, single-use cutlery that diners never even asked for. Inviting petroleum-based plastic utensils to your picnic only adds to the environmental problem.

Fortunately, it's easy to steer clear of single-use flatware. There are many picnic kits available to purchase that include stainless steel cutlery, melamine or porcelain plates that are both practical and fancy, wine glasses and, in some instances, even the blanket on which you'll park yourself. Of the 12 best picnic basket sets, according to customer reviews, there's bound to be a better option for you out there. Perhaps if bento is more your style, you might even want to consider investing in a reusable, picnic-worthy charcuterie snack box. 

Thrifters would point anyone looking for the most eco-friendly option to a secondhand shop, where serving dishes with ornate patterns and durable Pyrex bowls ideal for holding an assortment of sides await. No matter your style, any of these options is infinitely more eco-friendly, cost-effective, and Instagrammable than a picnic blanket set complete with paper and plastic.

Once you've acquired the gear, the only thing left to do is figure out what to pack for your next grassy park or ocean-side feast. Home cooks can never go wrong with potato salad, a summer staple that's become the most popular picnic food in the country. For something that's a touch more elevated, follow James Beard award-winning chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud's 3-course menu for a perfect picnic. And, certainly, don't forget the booze. Here are 14 expert-approved wine pairings for picnicking — because what's summer without a little day drinking?