Image of vegan cake extraordinaire My Little Panda Kitchen.
Food glorious food! This is what the guests at Meghan and Harry’s wedding will be singing on the 19th of May when the couple finally wed. With Meghan’s ‘foodie’ reputation, and the fact that money isn’t an issue for the pair, the guests will surely be treated to a day of deliciousness! But how will their menu choices affect the planet?
When it comes to thinking ‘eco’, food decisions are a biggie. Food waste, plastic packaging, and ethics around sourcing, are big factors to think about. An eco-menu isn’t as simple as pointing to a set menu that sounds tasty (unless you’ve got one of our eco caterers on board).
Image of Dan The Man catering, a registered B-Corp.
A few things to think about when finding your wedding caterer:
- Do they source their produce locally? Better yet organically?
- What do they do with their waste? Do they provide compost and recycling bins on site, or point you in the direction of a vendor who does?
- Is their meat ethically sourced? i.e. free range.
- Do they offer low carbon footprint menu options, including vegetarian, vegan, fish, chicken and lamb?
- Do their policies allow for you to donate the leftover food to a charity or homeless shelter afterwards? Some health and safety policies lock down on this.
Before finding their caterer, we hope that Meghan and Harry ask these questions above, define their ‘menu vision’, and stick to the plan. It’s easy to be swayed by deliciousness and drop your values when the engagement is so short, and you are pressured to decide. Ultimately, food is a big part of a wedding day, and usually takes up most of the budget. If Meghan and Harry were to decide on a vegetarian menu to offset their honeymoon carbon emissions (cows not only emit carbon, but are also responsible for most of agricultural land clearing), can you imagine the impact they would make? It would change wedding menus all over the world!
Image by Ona Janzen.
Another option for the couple, is to find a zero-waste caterer, like our resident Sydney caterer, Dan The Man. Zero-waste catering involves food packaged in reusable or recyclable containers, the waste going to food co-ops or the compost, or strategic plans around how much food is made in the first place. The idea is to have as little waste as possible left at the end of the wedding day. Dan The Man are even working on specifics, like compostable gloves, and a paper shredder to turn paper into shreds for their free-range chickens. It’s amazing to think of all the little details that add up. Zero-waste catering can be a great option, especially if you are planning a DIY wedding (though we don’t imagine the Queen will be up late on the night of the 18th baking).
Image by Ona Janzen.
Although the royal wedding menu has not been released, we’re excited to hear that Claire Ptak will be making Meghan and Harry’s wedding cake. A lemon and elderflower cake will be whipped up by the professional baker, covered with buttercream icing, and decorated with fresh flowers. Claire Ptak, founder of Violet Bakery, is known to use organic ingredients, and has vegan and gluten free options on the menu too. Not only is this cake decision great for the planet, but accommodating to the guests different dietary requirements is important too. A wedding should be about community. With food being a big part of the day, having different options means everyone feels welcomed and included.
Image via Royal.uk
We have not doubt there won’t be a single plastic fork in sight at the 2018 royal (eco) wedding, and we sure hope the modern couple don’t stick to cucumber sandwiches! Unless it’s organic bread and locally grown cucumbers of course 😉
For more tips on your eco-catering choices, find our Mindfully Wed E-Guide here: your go-to guide to planning your own eco-wedding.
