web analytics

Biodegradable Picnic Ware

Posted on

Biodegradable Picnic WareThere are indoor plates, outdoor plates and paper plates. Indoor are mostly made of ceramic and outdoor are often some kind of lightweight plastic material, both of which are washable and reusable. Paper is, of course, paper. They may not be as eco-friendly as the first two types of dinnerware, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of paper when you are entertaining outside in the summer – especially because there is no cleanup to worry about. There are alternatives to standard paper plates, however, if you’re looking to go a little bit greener with your outdoor entertaining, even if you’re not ready to use and wash two dozen acrylic dinner plates after hosting the annual family reunion.

This Biodegradable Picnic Ware, made by Vegware is a perfect example. They are made of pressed cassava starch (from the plant that produces tapioca) and are completely compostable, even under standard, domestic conditions – which means that you can compost them right in your backyard if you maintain a compost area. The starch is quite thick and the bowls and plates are fairly resilient. They can be used for everything from soup to cereal and, while they will soften a bit if you leave liquids sitting in them (they’ll dissolve completely in about a week if left fully submerged in water), they’ll last longer than any one picnic will and are definitely still appropriate for all types of food. They are even microwavable!

All in all, these are a great alternative to regular paper plates – many of which probably won’t hold up as long as these will if they become waterlogged with barbecue sauce. Hopefully we’ll see more options like these in the not-too-distant future so all outdoor dining can become a little bit greener.

Share this article

4 Comments
  • TastyNewEngland
    July 10, 2008

    My local Whole Foods in West Hartford, CT also uses something similar to these at the salad bar. The swapped them out for the clear plastic clam-shell thingies they used to use. They are indeed pretty strong, I had one bouncing around in the trunk of my car for a little bit and even after tipping over and tumbling a bit it was fine.

  • Sorina
    July 10, 2008

    Hi I am new to your blog and I just wanted to say how much I’m loving it

  • PubQueen
    July 10, 2008

    My husband and I own a pub in Indiana and along with a commitment to organic, local foods, I found an eco-friendly way to do take-out when we started, right down to cutlery made from corn starch! The company we use is out of Michigan – http://www.michigangreensafeproducts.com . It really isn’t that much more expensive to get stuff that won’t be around in, say, a thousand years! If only we could convince everyone 🙂

    Side note, I really enjoy your website and recipes! Thanks!

  • […] even a whole picnic set made from biodegradable materials. You may not be able to eat these products, but Vegware manufacture everything from materials that […]

What do you think?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *