Five tips to avoid single-use plastic at your summer cookout

Days are longer, temperatures are warmer and grills across America are firing up in anticipation of summer cookouts. But while bringing loved ones together to enjoy food and nice weather is fun, cleaning up excessive amounts of plastic waste once the party’s over is not.

We’re on track to put more than 53 trillion metric tons of plastic into oceans and waterways each year, and the last thing the world needs is more plastic trash.

Organizing a completely zero-waste cookout is a difficult goal to achieve in today’s throwaway culture, but getting a little closer to the goal of plastic free is always worthwhile. Whether you’re participating in Plastic Free July or are simply looking to host a cookout that’s heavy on fun and light on waste, here are five ways to cut back on plastic at your next summer cookout.

1. Meal plan with intention

In many regions across the U.S., warm temperatures and abundant sunshine create conditions ideal for growing. One of the easiest and tastiest ways to reduce plastic waste is to serve seasonal, locally grown produce. Local, in-season foods not only require fewer resources to grow and are often more flavorful, they likely also have less—if any—plastic packaging, especially if you frequented your nearby farmers’ market for your groceries.

Serving handheld, “finger” foods may also cut back on single-use plastic plates and cutlery. Some finger foods that are perfect for a summer cookout include:

• hot dogs
• hamburgers
• shish kebab
• corn on the cob
• watermelon wedges
• popscicles
• Brownies

2. Choose reusable serveware, or none at all

The most environmentally friendly plate, glass, fork or straw is the one you already own.

Plastic straws are one of the most common forms of plastic waste in our oceans. They’re also often unnecessary. Create less plastic waste at your next summer barbecue simply by not providing plastic straws. Stock up on plastic-free alternatives like paper, bamboo or stainless steel if you prefer to offer them to children or other guests.

Instead of using single-use plastic plates and utensils, opt for reusable alternatives. Don’t have enough on hand for the whole party? Make it a BYO barbecue and encourage friends and family to bring their own on the invitation.

Steer clear of single-use cups, too. Ask guests to bring their reusable water bottles and put out pitchers of water, homemade lemonade, iced tea or other drinks in large, reusable dispensers.

3. Choose plastic-free decorations and games

Balloons, streamers, banners and other party decor are often used just once before becoming garbage. You can avoid creating unnecessary waste by getting creative, instead:

• Skip the plastic tablecloth. Opt for one you already own.
• Decorate the table with local and in season flowers.
• For ambiance, place tea lights in mason jars.
• If you need extra chairs, tables, or tents, borrow from your neighbors instead of buying new.
• Don’t buy new lawn games, either, as they will likely be packaged in excessive and unnecessary plastic. Ask guests to bring their favorites from home.

4. Have a plan for waste management

Plastic cups, plates and silverware are commonly “wishcycled,” which is what happens when guests throw nonrecyclable items into the recycling bin. While well-intentioned, wishcycling damages recycling systems and ultimately generates more waste.

Prevent wishcycling from occurring at your summer cookout by creating a well-labeled waste station that offers trash, recycling and composting bins. If you have children in attendance, label each bin with pictures, as doing so will help ensure that cans and bottles are recycled while food and paper waste are composted.

5. Avoid plastic bottles

Around 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute globally. Unsurprisingly, plastic bottles are a major source of plastic waste.

Fortunately, there are alternatives. Compared to plastic, aluminum is recycled more often in the U.S.; it can be recycled indefinitely, too. Consider serving certain beverages like beer and soda in cans and skip the single-serving plastic varieties altogether.

Speaking of plastic bottles, Coca Cola products are a cookout staple. But in December 2024, Coke abandoned its goals to deliver 25% of beverages in reusable containers by 2030 and to cut 3 million metric tons of new plastic by 2025.

Using less plastic during Plastic Free July and throughout the year are great first steps. But it’s best if less plastic is manufactured to begin with.

Before you go: Tell Coca Cola to keep its promise to make reusable bottles.