Packing For The Ultimate Sustainable Picnic Hike
By AJ Cutler https://nacforadventure.com/
Headed towards the trails for a picnic hike? With warming temperatures in the spring, it’s the perfect way to exercise your body, while also properly refueling after an outdoor adventure. Grab your backpack cooler and hiking shoes, and leave the one-use plastic behind, because it’s time to pack for the ultimate sustainable picnic.
When planning for a picnic hike, just remember: preparation, pack, and appreciate
Preparation
The key to packing a plastic-free lunch is preparation. By preparing your hiking meals beforehand, you’ll reduce your one-time-use plastic consumption.
Make your own sandwiches before you head out and store in reusable containers instead of plastic bags. Mix your own trail mix by combining bulk nuts and candies. Prioritize packing whole fruits and vegetables in your backpack rather than resorting to plastic-covered fruit snacks or dried fruit.
Picnic hikes allow you more freedom to bring whole foods and refrigerated items that may not be the best choice on overnight backpacking trips. Especially when using a backpack with cooler compartments, you’ll have more food options when prepping for your day hike.
Pack
Now that you’ve prepared your favorite food and snacks for the hike, you need to find the perfect way to carry them from the trailhead to the picnic destination.
Storing food in reusable containers, like the Arctic Zone Thermal Bowl or the 7 Piece All- In- One Deep Dish Meal Set will help reduce your plastic usage while also keeping your food fresh.
These food storage containers fit inside any of Arctic Zone’s portable coolers: Titan Deep Freeze 30 Can Ice Wall Backpack Cooler, Titan Deep Freeze 24 Can Backpack Cooler, or Titan Deep Freeze 20 Can Rolltop Backpack Cooler. All of these backpack coolers have Deep Freeze™ insulation with Therma-Flect® radiant barrier to keep perishable foods cold and fresh. You can also pack other hiking essentials like sunscreen, first aid, GPS, and sunglasses in the front pockets. The side mesh pockets are also great for carrying reusable water bottles or mugs.
These insulated backpack coolers with adjustable, padded straps make it easy to carry your picnic and hiking essentials to your destination.
Appreciate
You made it to your picnic spot, and it’s time to break out your picnic foods and enjoy nature as you sit down for a meal.
When spending time outside, it’s important to follow the Leave No Trace Principles:
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What you Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Others
Make sure to respect the environment by leaving it the way you found it, especially when eating outside. This includes picking up food that may have fallen on the ground, as well as making sure you take everything that you brought. Store trash in empty food storage containers, and don’t leave food scraps like apple cores and banana peels at the site.
By packing a sustainable lunch when you go hiking, you’ll be able to truly appreciate and connect with the Earth. What are you packing on your next picnic hike?
