How to throw a sustainable barbecue that doesn’t suck

What I love most about barbecues are the sounds: the tick-tick-poof of the grill lighting, the sizzle of food hitting the grates, the rattle of ice in a cooler, the buzz of conversation. It all feels like summer. I throw a few big cookouts each year—anywhere from 10 to 30 guests—and while I care about the planet and avoid waste when I can, I often go overboard. I end up serving heaping trays of sides, enormous portions of proteins, and about six too many sauces. My excuse: Feeding people brings me joy. The truth: The idea of a scaled-back, sustainable barbecue sounded like a bummer. Where’s the fun in that? 

This year, though, I’ve committed to doing better. Americans waste around 32% of the food we buy, and on July Fourth alone, we toss 120 million pounds of it. But throwing a climate-aware, lower-waste barbecue doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good times or flavor in the name of Earth friendliness. To arm myself with some suggestions, I reached out to chefs and sustainability experts for advice about everything from food to décor. With their help, I landed on a dozen tactics to throw a backyard barbecue that’s gentler on the planet but doesn’t give up fun, flavor, or that unmistakable summer soundtrack.

1. Go easy on the meat (or make some simple compromises)

Let’s get this out of the way first: Cutting back on meat is the single most effective way to lower your barbecue’s foodprint. A plant-based burger or dog, for instance, has about 1/6th the emissions of a beef one. And there are so many great versions available: We’ve even ranked the best readymade plant-based burgers and hot dogs, if DIYing something like this holy-crap-this-is-so-good black bean smash burger feels like a little too much work.  

If going meatless sounds like BBQ blasphemy, there are ways to dial things down. If everyone in the U.S. replaced half of their meat-based protein with alternatives it would have the same effect as grounding all domestic flights. But simply nixing beef from the menu is a small, but meaningful, shift. “If you replace beef with the same weight in pork, you’d lower the carbon footprint of your barbecue by four or five times,” says Frank Holleman, the founder of the Fork Ranger, a platform that offers advice about climate-friendly eating. Chicken is even less emissions-intensive than pork—and has about 1/8th the greenhouse-gas impact of beef.

2. Make vegetables the star

Maui-based private chef Jason Raffin builds what he calls “eco-luxury” barbecues that feel indulgent but leave a light footprint. His advice? “You don’t need a ton of meat; you need balance, punchy sauces, and great local veg.” He leans into flavor-packed veggie dishes like grilled king oyster mushrooms brushed with coconut aminos, charred pineapple salsa, and smoked miso dip. 

Looking for some sauce inspiration? This smoky tofu number takes only a few minutes to put together and pairs wonderfully with any grilled vegetables. And this red pesto, which is easy to prep beforehand, is great for adding an extra dose of umami. 

3. Highlight local, seasonal ingredients

When it comes to emissions, well, the distance food travels doesn’t have a huge impact on an item’s planet-warming potential—but focusing on what’s in season and local does make a difference. In-season produce tends to be cheaper, tastier, and is less likely to come from an energy-intensive greenhouse. Shopping at farmers markets and through CSAs are great ways to find those local ingredients. To get a read on what’s at its peak near you, check out the Seasonal Food Guide. For extra credit: You can also try to steer clear of produce that’s been flown in at the grocery store.  

4. Rethink your charcoal

Grillers will go on and on about how charcoal is hands-down the best fuel: It burns hotter and gives food that sought-after smokey char. No arguments there. But if we’re talking about greenhouse gases, it’s not a winner. A study published in the Environmental Impact Assessment Review found that, when considering production and use, gas produces about one-third fewer emissions than charcoal. It also burns cleaner and offers a more controlled heat.

Can’t bear going without that charcoal flavor? Holleman suggests looking for briquettes that are Forest Stewardship Council-certified (marked with “FSC” on the bag), which indicates that the wood comes from responsibly managed forests, or opt for ones made from coconut husks. 

5. Know your portions

The temptation to overbuy for a barbecue is real. Raffin has cooked for more than 60,000 while doing disaster relief for victims of the Lahaina fires, and so understands how to scale and avoid wasting food. His golden rule for portioning: Plan for 6 to 8 ounces total protein per person, 2 to 3 sides and a little extra for late-night grazers. Typical portioning for sides is about 4 ounces (or ¼ pound) per person, so you’d need about 2.5 pounds per side for a group of 10. 

6. Give guests clear assignments

Chances are at least some guests will show up with a dish to share. Or maybe you’re handing out specific assignments. Either way, be crystal clear about what you do and don’t need, urges Nancy Zevada, Founder and President of the sustainable event agency Meet Green. “Instead of saying ‘bring a side’ say ‘bring a dish big enough for 10 people to enjoy,’” she says. This helps prevent over-prepping, excessive leftovers, and those mystery dishes no one touches. Looking at you, seven-layer dip.

7. Supply takeaway containers

Having a plan for leftovers is an easy way to ensure extra food doesn’t end up in the trash—and that your fridge doesn’t turn into a graveyard of spoiled baked beans and sour cream and onion dip. A pack of foil containers is a smart, affordable choice. You can also tell your guests to bring their own. Whatever you decide, the point is to make it simple for everyone to take home food they’ll actually eat.

8. Clearly mark—and group—waste bins

No matter how hard you try, there will still be some waste. But how you set up your bins makes a big difference. Create three stations: one for trash, one for recycling, and one for compost. Label them clearly, and group them together in plain sight. “If people only see trash, they will throw everything in the trash. If they see everything together, they will be more likely to sort and dispose of items properly,” says Zevada.  

9. Fight the urge to use disposables

It’s very easy to resort to single-use plastic cups, plates, and flatware at a barbecue. But disposable tableware in general is not only bad for the environment (duh) but behavioral research has found that people tend to waste more food when eating off of disposable rather than permanent plates. A few changes can make a big impact—and help you build a specific ambiance. 

Give people mason jars or reusable aluminum cups (Ball makes some great ones) instead of the plastic variety. Or go all in on real dishes and silverware—your everyday set, outdoor-specific plates, or even your fancy stuff. “People are afraid to ever use fine China,” says Zevada. “But elegance can be sustainable. These are long lasting items you already own—why not use them?”

10. Get thrifty with decór

Old handkerchiefs make for charming napkins. Fitted sheets? They make for perfect reusable tablecloths, says Zevada—especially since they’re the perfect size to cover most picnic tables and the elastic corners help them not blow away. “Why buy one of those horribly wasteful plastic ones you toss at the end of the barbecue,” she asks, “when you can buy a few fitted sheets, wash them, and reuse them again.”

11. Brush up on food safety

As anyone who’s gotten a whiff of funky pasta salad on a picnic table can attest, summer heat causes foods to spoil a lot faster than normal. The FDA’s two-hour rule says to never leave perishables out of refrigeration for more than 120 minutes, but when the temperature passes 90 degrees F that window shrinks to just one hour.

So if the party’s outside, either bring food out in waves or keep dishes on ice—ideally in a separate cooler from drinks, so it won’t get popped open as much. You can also set up a buffet indoors, if you don’t mind all the foot traffic. Guests probably won’t complain about a bit of relief from the heat, either.

12. Don’t drink from plastic

Instead of dealing with cases of bottles and cans, set out communal pitchers or jugs of water and batch cocktails so that guests can serve themselves. And, if people plan to show up with something to drink, ask them to bring things in aluminum cans over glass or plastic bottles—aluminum is infinitely recyclable, and single-use plastic is a travesty. Glass is great, but many recyclers don’t accept it. 

Growlers of beer are another low-waste win, offers Zevada. They can be refilled again and again, and make for a thoughtful, reusable host gift.