How to Celebrate a Zero Waste Cinco De Mayo!

Cinco De Mayo is this Thursday 🥳 Regardless if you plan on throwing a party or just cook some authentic Mexican food by yourself, there are ways to make it more eco-friendly and good for the planet. Here are my suggestions on how to celebrate a zero waste Cinco De Mayo this year!

~Educate yourself on the history of the holiday

Just like with Earth Day, Cinco De Mayo is often a day where brands advertise their products without any reference to the true meaning of the holiday. Don’t fall into the consumerism trap – make sure you understand the significance if you end up celebrating! There are plenty of ways to educate yourself: doing a Google search, reading a book, or even listening to a podcast about the topic. Learning is a great way to be sustainable too, as it is an easy way to celebrate a zero waste Cinco De Mayo.

~Go for plant based tacos, burritos, etc.!

One of my favorite ways to honor this holiday is to make authentic Mexican food. Don’t hit up a Taco Bell – go the homemade route. This is always tastier anyways! A taco bar is a classic choice, but you could make anything that your family/friends enjoy. Quesadillas, burritos, tamales – the list goes on and on. For any of these meal options, decide to make them plant based this year. There are plenty of awesome bean protein substitutes or you could even use some Quorn meatless “beef” crumbles. I recommend even making your tortillas from scratch. They aren’t hard to make and are oh so delicious! It is a great way to get kids involved in the cooking as well.

~Source your ingredients in a sustainable way.

Another easy way to celebrate a zero waste Cinco De Mayo is to grocery shop for ingredients the “green” way. It is important to reduce your waste as much as possible before you start cooking in the kitchen. Buy all your produce loose/from bulk, using reusable produce bags instead of those single use plastic bags. Purchase dry beans from the bulk bins or use the ones in metal cans (that can be recycled later). If you don’t make your own tortillas, see if there is a local grocer that will package them in paper instead of plastic. Once all your cooking is done, make sure to compost any food scraps too!

~Use reusables if you have a party.

If your family plans on having a get-together to celebrate, use these tips to have a zero waste party. Avoid disposables at all costs – if you don’t have enough dishes for everyone, ask people to bring one with them. Such an easy way to cut down on trash going to the landfill.

~Buy some Mexican drinks in glass and recycle!

This is an easy way to celebrate a zero waste Cinco De Mayo regardless of age. For those over the age of 21, source all your tequila (and other alcoholic beverages) in glass bottles only. Jarritos is a great soda for those under the age, and I’d honestly prefer it to alcohol anyway. They come in glass bottles in fun flavors like mandarin and lime (affiliate link). Have a designated recycle bin set out and make sure you either recycle them all or return them to the bottle deposit after the celebration is over.

Final Thoughts on How to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo

Cinco De Mayo is such a fun holiday full of bright colors and absolutely delicious food. While I personally won’t be throwing a party, I always make sure to relearn what the holiday is about before cooking up some tasty dishes in the kitchen. Regardless of how you celebrate, make sure to stay sustainable and eco-friendly! Will you be having a Cinco De Mayo party this year? Comment below and let me know how you reduce your waste on holidays!

Love,
Jenna ♥