How to BBQ sustainably in Cornwall

5 ways to make your beach BBQ more sustainable

Friday is upon us, the sun has made a return and even the grumpy man I pass on my morning walk smiled this morning! The Spring Bank Holiday weekend is here and what better opportunity than that for a barbecue!

Cornwall is the ideal place for it – in fact, in our eyes nothing says ‘Cornish summer’ more than a barbecue on the beach. But whilst grilling outside is the perfect way to take advantage of everything Kernow has to offer, it is important that we make sure we are doing this in the most sustainable way.

So, before we all head out to make the most of this sunny bank holiday weekend, here’s a quick reminder of 5 easy ways to be a ‘Responsible BBQ-er’ whilst in Cornwall!

1. Ditch the disposable

First and foremost, it’s time to move away from single use culture, and invest in a portable BBQ that you can use time and time again. So many shops now sell a range of portable options – from small ‘bucket BBQs’ to fancy outdoor grilling machines, and they are so easy to take with you on your walk to the beach (Remember – always be sure the check the beach does allow barbecuing first!). Not only are the single-use foil barbecues wasteful, they also often scorch grass and have been known to cause harmful fires – oh and having a lid helps the food cook faster! It’s a win win!

2. Buy Local

When the Cornish sun pops out unexpectedly, we are all guilty of running to the local supermarket to grab some supplies for the BBQ, but we should all try and shop local as much as possible. Cornwall is brimming with farm shops and local food markets selling everything we need for the grill, and we are certain that it will taste that much better! If you’re a meat eater then it is the perfect time to support our local farmers and buy good quality, organic Cornish produce. Here at Cornwall Discovered, we just love the whole Farm to Fork concept, and for a while now it’s been exciting to see the county’s butchers, vegetable growers and fishermen supplying even London’s best restaurants with Cornish food, but there’s nothing quite like buying it yourself directly from the farm shop! And if you’re more of a fish person, well it really doesn’t get much fresher than here! Why not stop off at a local harbour and grab the catch of the day?

3. Be More Green! Literally!

Have you tried grilled asparagus on the BBQ? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! We’re not saying cut out meat completely from the grill, especially if you love a good locally produced BBQed sausage, but incorporating some more veggie elements not only helps you to cut your carbon footprint slightly and make the event that little bit more eco-friendly, but also gives some tasty diversity the outdoor event…variety is the spice of life after all! Vegetable skewers and corn on the cob are amongst our favourites – they help the Instagram pic look pretty too!

‍

4. Waste not, Want not

We have been all there and totally misjudged the amount of food needed for two on an impromptu barbecue by the sea! (To the point that no amount of sea-swimming beforehand will get you hungry enough!!) Whilst we should all try and avoid cooking too much food, taking food in reusable containers to start with, allows the perfect means to take any leftovers back home with you! Co-Founder Katie and I have definitely learnt to take some spare containers in case we are over-ambitious with the amount we throw on the barbie! It’s funny but we don’t seem to have the same problem with the wine we take to accompany the food!

‍

5. Leave only footprints

And last but certainly not least…we all need to ensure we only leave footprints behind. At the start of this staycation season, we have already seen disappointing articles about rubbish left at various beauty spots across the UK – including one about our local beach. Clearing up after a perfect evening on the beach is easier if you have a trusty hamper or reusable carrier – and if you’ve ditched all the single use plastic utensils, then you’re not going to be tempted to leave your faithful metal BBQ skewers behind! And as we always say to people during Cornwall Discovered tour programmes, there’s always time for #2minutebeachclean!

Let’s all try and make some, if not all, of these small changes and Bon Appetit!

‍

Written by Co-Founder Zoe

‍