The ultimate sustainable picnic guide

Picnics are a brilliant way to spend time with friends and family, and enjoy the outdoors. But with all those sandwich packets, food wrappers and drink cartons, it can be easy to leave some of your picnic behind...

Here’s our guide to having a plastic and litter-free picnic, so you can enjoy the great outdoors with your friends and family, without worrying about litter blowing into nature. 

Picnic Products

Reusable food containers

Plastic tupperware or stainless steel containers are all great options for a litter-free picnic. They can be used to store most food items, from sandwiches to snacks to salad to rice.

Food wraps

There are a large variety of different wraps you can use to wrap up things like sandwiches and fruit. For example, beeswax wraps are a good way to keep your food safe and clean.

Flasks

Flasks such as a thermos can allow you to take a wide range of hot or cold food or drinks. You could take some soup, tea, or a cold refreshing drink on a hot day.

Plates, cups and cutlery

Reusable plastic plates and cups which are light, easy to clean, and difficult to break. You can even get folding cups, bowls and plates that pack completely flat, so they’re easier to transport!

Bin bags

A separate bag to keep your litter in means you won’t get other things dirty, stops your litter from blowing away, and helps you take your litter home with you.

Recipe Ideas

Alongside sandwiches, fruit, and other snacks – here are some great recipes to help use up the odds and ends in your cupboard…

Scrumptious scones

This simple twist on Britain’s favourite tea-time treat is perfect for getting little kings and queens excited about cooking. Serve with Elmlea cream and jam. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 12-15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 55g Stork block

• 25g caster sugar

• 7 tbsp fresh or sour milk

• 150ml Elmlea Double or Whipping

• 2-3 tbsp lemon curd

• 50g raspberries

• Icing sugar to dust

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220ºC, 200ºC fan, Gas mark 7. Grease a baking sheet.

2. Place flour, baking powder and Stork in a mixing bowl and rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and milk and mix with a wooden spoon to form a soft dough.

3. Turn onto a lightly-floured surface. Knead lightly, smoothing away cracks with fingertips.

4. Roll out to a thickness of 1.25cm.

5. Cut into rounds with plain 5cm floured cutter.

6. Lightly knead trimming together, roll and cut into rounds as before.

7. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

8. Whip the Elmlea until stiff. Split the scones and fill with Elmlea and lemon curd, topped with sliced raspberries. Lightly dust with icing sugar.

Beetroot, apple and carrot salad

Practice improvising in the kitchen with this healthy beetroot salad. Throw in any leftover carrots, courgette, fennel - or similar. Grate together In more ways than one!

Ingredients:

• Beetroot

• Apples

• Carrots (also nice with fennel, courgette, celeriac – try with whatever you have around)

• Some lettuce

• An orange or lemon

• Olive oil

• Mustard

• Sunflower seeds (and/or other seeds)

• Roughly chopped walnuts

• Raisins

• Salt & Pepper

• Parsley

Method:

1. Grate the beetroot, apples, carrots etc. into a big mixing bowl.

2. Add raisins if using.

3. Get an empty jam jar, and make the dressing with the juice of an orange, a dash of olive oil, a little (e.g. ¼ teaspoon) mustard, salt and pepper.

4. Put the lid on the jar and shake it. Taste, adjust and when happy add to the grated veggies and toss together.

5. Make a bed of lettuce in a serving bowl, and put the grated vegetable mix on top.

6. Sprinkle with seeds, nuts and chopped parsley (or another herb of your choice).

Vegetarian Glamorgan Sausage Rolls

Why not try making your own hearty, vegetarian-friendly, packaging-free sausage rolls? You can batch cook loads, freeze them and whip them out for Picnics throughout the summer!

Ingredients:

• 3 Large white onions, peeled and sliced

• 1 Clove of garlic, minced

• 1tsp Chopped thyme

• 50g panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs

• 200g cheddar cheese, grated

• 6 spring onions, finely sliced

• 2tbsp chives, chopped

• 2tsp English mustard

• 2 large eggs

• 1 roll of ready to cook puff pastry

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200c. Place the onions and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a small pan
   over a medium heat. When you can hear the onions frying, turn the heat right down and cook them for about 30 minutes to caramelise, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and the thyme and cook for a further 15 minutes.

2. Place the pan over a high heat and stir the onions until any water has evaporated. Put the onions in a bowl; add the rest of the ingredients and 1 of the eggs and mix well to combine. Season with salt and pepper and then use your hands to roll the mix into 2 sausage shapes about 3-4cm wide.

3. Lay them out on a tray and chill for 20 minutes to firm up. Unroll the pastry and cut in half
   lengthwise. Lay the cheese mix along the pastry, slightly off centre, and brush with beaten egg along the edge of pastry closest to the filling. Roll the pastry over to form 2 long sausage roll shapes and crimp one edge with a fork to seal.

4. Cut each length into 5 small sausage rolls (or 3 larger ones) and score the tops with a knife.
   Place the sausage rolls on a baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg. Bake for 20
   minutes or until golden.

Manchester Picnic Spots

Alll set for your picnic, but not sure where to go? Head to our guide on Manchester’s parks and green spaces to explore some of our favourite spots, which are also great for a picnic.

Thinking of heading further afield? Check out Get Lost MCR to discover some hidden gems close to Manchester, for those looking for a change of scenery.