The barbecue season is in full swing. But even now, some people don’t want to ignore the environment and animal welfare. Good this way. With these tips, the BBQ evening will be sustainable and tasty at the same time.
Many can hardly resist the spicy smell of grilled meat in summer. However, sustainability and animal welfare often take a back seat during the barbecue season. These tips and tricks reduce the ecological footprint of a BBQ evening.
Alternatives to charcoal
Charcoal is often illegally logged in forests in Africa or South America. Anyone who uses local charcoal, such as beech, is doing something good for the environment. Important: Make sure that the seals FSC, PEFC or Naturland are available, then the charcoal comes from sustainable forestry. Charcoal alternatives such as olive stones, coconut shells or corn cobs are even better. These are often available online.
Forgo grill lighters
If you want to grill sustainably, you should avoid chemical lighters such as petrol if possible. Not only do they smell bad, they also contain many pollutants. Natural firelighters made from wood and wax are the more environmentally friendly alternative. Here, too, it is important to look out for FSC-certified products.
Reusable instead of disposable
Disposable grills are a real environmental sin. Instead, it is better to use a reusable grill and share the costs and use with friends or neighbors if necessary. At best, you should also avoid disposable tableware on a barbecue evening.
Meat and side dishes are often available in aluminum packaging, in which they are also placed on the grill. This is not only harmful to health, but also creates a lot of waste. Instead, place the vegetables or meat directly onto a well-cleaned grate, or use alternatives such as a grill basket or cast-iron skillet.
If meat, then organic
Whether feta, grilled cheese, tofu, vegetables or vegan meat alternatives: Even with a vegetarian barbecue evening, everyone gets their money’s worth. If you don’t want to do without steak, bratwurst and co. despite the large selection, you should at least pay attention to high-quality meat from a good source and avoid ready-marinated cheap goods.
