How to throw a zero waste children’s party
Piles of paper plates and cups, a mountain of disposable cutlery, and lots of leftover food. This is usually what’s left at the end of the average kid’s birthday party. The mountain of waste not only hurts your pocket, it hurts the planet. But the good news is that by making a few savvy changes, you can throw your little ones a party to remember with zero waste.
Party invitations
We live in a digital world, so why not send out e-invites? You’ll save paper, money, and your precious time. If you really want to send out paper invites, buy invites made from recycled paper and print a little message on the invite reminding people to pop them in the recycling once the party has been and gone.
Decorations
It’s far cheaper and easier to make your own decorations, and you can find plenty of inspiration online. From bunting to table decorations, you can make your own unique creations, and what’s even better is you can get the kids involved.
Party food
It’s always tempting to overspend on food for kid’s parties, so set a strict budget, make a list and buy only what you need. When you’re setting up for the party, don’t put all of the food out at once. This was you can save some for later in the week that hasn’t been dropped on the floor! Put juice in large jugs rather than buying individual cartons, and when it comes to sweet treats, make everything bitesize.
Party supplies
Avoid single-use cutlery, plates, cups, and straws. Use reusable items and simply wash them after use. Invest in paper straws if you really want straws. They’ll be a good investment since the government is banning plastic straws next year.
Party bag food
Party bags of usually full of individually wrapped goodies, which might be delicious, but for the environment, not so great. Instead of buying lots of treats wrapped in plastic, why not include things like:
Popcorn – it’s easy to make and can be made a day or two before the party.
Homemade cookies – there are plenty of delicious recipes online. And who doesn’t love a cookie?
Little boxes of smarties – they’re a simple but tasty treat in an easy to recycle cardboard box.