Barbecue Season Without the Single-Use Plastic: A Practical Prep Guide

Barbecue season in Australia has a habit of arriving all at once. One warm weekend in October and suddenly the tongs are out, the esky is packed and the bin is overflowing with cling wrap, foil trays and zip-lock bags. It does not have to go that way. A bit of planning before the first snag hits the grill makes the whole day calmer, and cuts a surprising amount of single-use plastic.

This is the setup we use at home, with a few practical tricks for prep, serving and the leftovers that always turn up on Monday.

Start with the prep, not the grill

Most barbecue plastic gets used before anyone lights the gas. Marinated meat goes into a bag, salad veg gets wrapped, and the buns sit in cling film until needed. Shift your prep to a proper surface and the plastic mostly disappears.

Use separate boards for raw and ready-to-eat food

This is the one rule worth being strict about. Raw chicken, sausages and steak go on one board. Salad, bread and cheese go on another. A three-piece set (like our bamboo chopping board set) makes this easy because you are not washing and reusing one board between jobs. If you want the full hygiene routine, our guide to keeping a chopping board hygienic covers it.

Marinate in a container, not a bag

A lidded glass or stainless container does the same job as a zip-lock bag. Turn it over once or twice and the marinade coats evenly. It goes in the dishwasher afterwards, and there is nothing to throw out.

Keep your knives and wraps within reach

A barbecue day means a lot of cutting and a lot of covering. If the knives are buried in a drawer and the foil is in a cupboard across the room, people reach for whatever is closest, usually a fresh sheet of cling wrap.

A wall or bench-mounted holder keeps the sharp knives visible and off the bench. Our bamboo hexagonal magnetic knife holder holds knives on both sides, so the carving knife and the paring knife are both a hand's reach away. If you are working without a block, this post on safe knife storage has other options.

For wraps, a dispenser with a built-in cutter stops the tangle. The bamboo 3-in-1 wrap dispenser holds cling wrap, baking paper and foil together, and the slide cutter gives a clean tear every time. Less fighting with the roll means less wasted wrap.

Serve in a way that skips the disposables

Paper plates are tempting for a crowd, but you can get by with less than you think.

• Borrow or buy a few extra plates and cutlery sets. Op shops are good for mismatched plates that look fine outdoors.
• Serve salads in big bowls and cover with a clean tea towel or an upturned plate, rather than cling wrap, while they sit out.
• Keep a water jug and glasses on the table instead of a pile of plastic cups.
• Set up a scrape and stack station for dishes so the clean-up does not turn into a one-person job.

If you host a lot, our post on spring entertaining without single-use plastic goes deeper on tableware and drinks.

Plan the leftovers before they happen

Barbecue leftovers are the sneaky part. Half a bowl of coleslaw, three sausages, a few slices of bread and a handful of cut-up capsicum. That is where the cling wrap and zip-lock bags come out again.

Cool, then store

Let cooked meat cool for a short time, then get it into the fridge within two hours (sooner on a hot day). Use shallow containers so it chills quickly, and label them with the day. Cooked meat is best eaten within three to four days.

If you do use bags, make them last

Zip-lock bags can be washed and reused for dry foods, bread and snacks. The trick is keeping them organised so you actually find and reuse them. A drawer organiser like the 5-piece bamboo bag organiser sorts them by size, so the small bags do not get lost behind the big ones. Our guide on storing leftovers without plastic has more ideas for what to put in what.

A simple barbecue checklist

1. Pull out two or three boards and label raw versus ready-to-eat.
2. Put knives, tongs and a wrap dispenser where you will use them.
3. Marinate in containers the night before.
4. Decide on reusable plates, cups and serving bowls.
5. Clear fridge space and set out shallow containers for leftovers.

The short version

You do not need to give up the barbecue, or buy a lot of new gear. Set up your prep space well, keep the basics where you can reach them, and plan for the leftovers. If you would like a head start, the Essentials Bundle pairs the board set with the wrap dispenser, and the Cooking Bundle adds the knife holder. For more ways to cut plastic across the whole kitchen, start with our plastic-free kitchen guide.