Wrapping our heads around edible packaging
Innovative companies have been taking zero waste to the next level offering us serious eco-friendly food for thought. From wraps to spoons, our future disposable packaging and utensils could also be part of the meal. Scientists have been studying and developing different materials to replace plastic wrappers and paper containers with a much more ecological alternative: one you can munch on. Think the whole concept of edible packaging can be somehow unappetizing? Fair enough. After all, it is meant, among other things, to protect your food and create a barrier between what you will be ingesting from you wish not too. Does that defeat the whole purpose of these incredible breakthroughs? Not really. No one has to truly eat them for these revolutionary packages to be just that, because edible mainly means biodegradable and compostable, which is more than good enough. In fact, it might just be what the world needs. Wonder what edible packaging looks like? Here are some of our favourite on-the-market and still-in-prototype-form products.
1 Zero Waste Takeout
Some bold restaurants and daring food companies such as New Zealand burger chain Better Burger, Brazil fast food restaurants Bob’s and European plant-based food and drinks brand Alpro have given a shot at zero waste takeout. Although only for a limited time – in honour of International Earth Day and Plant Power Day for instance – people could order burgers wrapped in a material made of potato starch or rice paper, as well as a plant-based chicken and chips meal served in an edible bucket made from nuts, seeds, and spices.
