by Jeffrey Morrison

May 26, 2021

It’s picnic season! This warm weather makes it inviting to dine al fresco, but how do we do that without using the problematic plastics we covered in the Problem with Plastics blogs part I and part II? The answer is simple. Use sustainable, reusable options like glass, stainless steel and bamboo. Below is an example of a 100% plastic-free picnic. It is possible- it is just a matter of awareness.

For this picnic I landed on salads as the main course. The two that I made are a Chicken Caesar Salad and a Mediterranean Salad, both served in mason jars. Mason jars are my preferred vehicle for salad both because they look so inviting and that they are a simple solution for how to transport your food. An added bonus is how fun it is to shake the salad up when you put the dressing on. 

I added strawberries, Crunchmaster multi-seed gluten-free crackers, and Aleia’s gluten-free Almond Horns (which are ridiculously good). For drinks I chose Health-Ade Kombucha which are chock-full of good probiotics for your gut. This picnic is not only good for the environment, but good for you as well. Check and check!

Mason Jar Chicken Caesar Salad:

Serves 1

3 cups of romaine lettuce

1/2 cup of Aleia's Gluten-free croutons

2 ounces of grilled chicken

2 tablespoons of Yo Mama's gluten and dairy-free classic Caesar dressing in Timiuu squeeze bottles

Mason Jar Mediterranean Salad:

Serves 1

2 1/2 cups of romaine lettuce

1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup of chopped cucumbers

1/2 cup of chickpeas

2 tablespoons of Tahini dressing

Tahini Dressing:

Makes about 1/2 cup

1/4 cup smooth tahini

3 tablespoons water, more if needed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 large garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the napkins I used washable linen napkins from Etsy. These napkins are environmentally friendly, as well as adding a pop of color to your picnic.

For the cutlery, I used sustainable bamboo ones from bambuhome.com

My picnic basket is an African Market basket I purchased from a local farm stand but similar ones are available from Goodee World.

As we go outside and enjoy the sunshine, and the incredible world around us, think about how we can leave the smallest footprint behind. Be clean to help the world stay green!

This blog is a collaboration by

Dr. Morrison and Tapp Francke.