Key Takeaways
Choose compostable packaging based on your planned fall menu. Sturdy fiber plates and bowls work well for hearty fall foods, while compostable hot and cold cups are ideal for cider and other seasonal drinks.
Look for certified commercial compostability. Certifications, such as BPI, help verify that selected products actually meet established compostability standards.
Compostable doesn't automatically mean backyard (or pumpkin patch) compostable. Many foodservice products are designed for commercial composting facilities, where well-controlled conditions help them break down.
A successful eco-friendly fall event requires more than compostable products. Confirm what your local compost facility accepts, provide clearly labeled collection bins, and train vendors, staff, and guests to keep conventional plastic and other contaminants out of the compost stream.
Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch Compostable Packaging Guide
Fall festivals and pumpkin patches have a unique combination of high-volume food service and outdoor activities. Visitors may spend several hours on-site, grab a meal from a food truck, pick up a hot cider, share a plate of fries, and finish with a pumpkin donut or caramel apple.
Traditional disposable plastic can create a significant amount of event waste. Compostable foodservice products offer an alternative when they are paired with an appropriate commercial composting program. For seasonal events, that last point is especially important: the packaging isn't the entire sustainability strategy. The collection and disposal system matters, too.
A good fall-event packaging setup should cover the entire customer experience - from the first cup of cider to the last bite of pumpkin pie.Here are the core categories to consider when planning your fall event in the coming months.
1. Compostable Plates for Fall Festival Meals
Fall festival menus tend to feature hearty, filling foods such as BBQ, chili, bratwurst, pulled pork, fall salads, mac and cheese, and more.
For these foods, a flimsy plate can quickly become a problem for everyone. Look for rigid compostable fiber plates that can handle hot, heavy, or saucy foods without folding or leaking.
For larger meals, a 9- or 10-inch plate provides plenty of space for an entrée and sides. Smaller plates are useful for desserts, samples, snacks, and children's portions.
If vendors serve several foods on one plate, consider compartment plates. They can keep sides separated and reduce the need for multiple containers.
2. Compostable Bowls for Chili, Soup & Fall Comfort Foods
Few things say "autumn festival" like a steaming bowl of hot chili. Bowls are particularly useful for foods that are difficult to serve on flat plates, including: soups, stew, ice cream, and apple crisp.
For fall food vendors and event planners, choosing a bowl with enough depth and rigidity can make serving easier while also reducing inconvenient spills and leaks.
For a pumpkin patch serving chili or soup: pair compostable bowls with sturdy compostable cutlery and napkins to create a complete grab-and-go meal.
3. Compostable Hot Cups (& Lids) for Apple Cider, Coffee & Pumpkin Spice Drinks
A pumpkin patch without hot cider or coffee is hard to imagine and we don’t want to. Hot beverages may be one of the most frequently purchased items at a fall event, especially as temperatures begin to drop after a hot summer.Not surprisingly, the most popular fall beverages include apple cider, hot chocolate, pumpkin spice lattes, mulled cider, and other warm seasonal punches.
And, don’t forget the lids! When planning your fall event, make sure your cups and compostable lids are compatible and that your composting partner accepts both components. A compostable cup paired with a non-compostable plastic lid can quickly complicate waste sorting.
4. Compostable Cold Cups for Lemonade, Water & Seasonal Drinks
Even when temperatures drop, cold drinks remain popular at outdoor events for many guests. Pumpkin patches and other fall festivals should be prepared to serve up lemonade, iced tea, cold brew, and seasonal mocktails.Clear, plant-based cold cups provide the look and functionality customers expect from conventional plastic while offering a compostable option. However, compostable cold cups should only go into a compost stream if the local facility accepts that specific product type.
5. Compostable Cutlery for Food Trucks & Festival Vendors
Forks, knives, and spoons are one of the easiest to overlook easy to when ordering for any event but they're essential for many fall menus. Compostable cutlery is available in materials such as plant-based PLA and wood.
Cutlery kits can be especially useful for pumpkin patches and festivals because they keep everything together and make distribution faster. They allow a vendor to hand a customer everything they need at once to keep service moving. Cutlery kits are particularly convenient for food trucks, festival food booths, corporate fall events, and picnic areas.
6. Compostable Containers for Take-Home Food
Not every festival meal gets eaten there - visitors often want to take their food home. And this can range from leftover BBQ and prepared meals to baked goods and pumpkin bread.That's where compostable takeout containers and clamshells can help. For events where customers frequently purchase food to take home, ordering takeout packaging alongside plates and bowls can help vendors avoid defaulting to conventional plastic containers.
Consider containers for hot foods, cold foods, ice cream, and bakery packaging.
7. Compostable Napkins & Waste Bags
A truly coordinated (and successful) compostable packaging program shouldn't stop at plates and cups. Consider the other disposable items customers and vendors use throughout the event such as napkins, compostable trash bags, paper packaging, and compostable sample cups. The ultimate goal is to make sorting as easy as possible for both customers and staff. Don’t hide compost bins or bags behind the vendor tents. Place them where customers naturally finish their meals.
Plan Your Fall Event with the Right Compostable Items
Pumpkin patches and fall festivals don't have to choose between convenient foodservice and responsible waste management. With the right combination of compostable plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, containers, and waste bags, event organizers can create a foodservice setup designed around the realities of outdoor events while being more sustainable.
The most important step is to think beyond the product itself. Choose certified products, confirm local acceptance, make disposal instructions obvious, and give guests and vendors an easy way to do the right thing.
Composting Packaging for Fall Festival FAQs
What is the best compostable packaging for a pumpkin patch?
The best packaging always depends on the menu, but a typical pumpkin patch can benefit from sturdy compostable plates, bowls, hot cups, cold cups, cutlery, and takeout containers. Always remember to confirm that your local composting facility accepts all of the packaging you decide to use.
Are compostable plates actually compostable?
Certified commercially compostable plates are designed to break down under the controlled conditions of commercial composting facilities only. Certification standards, such as ASTM D6400, help establish requirements for commercial compostability.
Remember that commercially compostable does not mean home compostable.
Can compostable plates go in a backyard compost bin?
No, most compostable foodservice products are designed specifically for commercial composting. The EPA recommends against adding compostable foodservice products and compostable bags to a typical backyard compost pile.
What should I look for when buying compostable event packaging?
Look for products with credible third-party certification, appropriate durability for the food being served, and clear disposal instructions. Most importantly, confirm that the products are accepted by the composting facility serving your event.
Are compostable cups better than plastic cups?
Compostable cups can be a useful alternative to conventional plastic when they are part of a fully functioning commercial composting program. Their environmental benefit depends on the full system which includes collection, hauling, processing, and contamination management.
Do compostable cups need special recycling?
Compostable cups should generally not be placed in conventional recycling. Check with your local waste provider or composting facility for the appropriate disposal instructions.
How do I make a fall festival more sustainable?
Start with the basics: reduce unnecessary disposables, choose certified compostable or reusable foodservice products, work with a local composting partner, provide clearly labeled waste stations, and train vendors and staff on proper sorting.
How much compostable tableware should I order for an event?
Estimate your expected attendance, determine how many guests will purchase food and drinks, calculate packaging needs by each menu item, and always add a reasonable reserve. For larger festivals, ask vendors to provide projected meal and beverage volumes so packaging can be ordered based on actual demand.
