Eco-Friendly Kitchen Tips
Going “eco-friendly” and switching over to a more sustainable lifestyle can feel really overwhelming. Virtually every aspect of your life can be made “more sustainable” in some way, where do you even begin? I’m here to help!
VIA STASHER
First, I’d like to start off by saying: you don’t have to do everything at once! Trying to dive off the deep end before you can even doggy paddle is a surefire way to make sure you never swim again. (That metaphor totally works, right?). My point is, start small. For this blog post, I’m going to just go over a few of my favorite ways to be more eco-conscious in your kitchen. The below categories are all just places to start-- try choosing one and going from there! There’s a quote I love because it hits the nail on the head:
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero-waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” -- Anne Marie Bonneau
Okay, so let’s dive in.
Storage Containers
There are so many more sustainable options for storage containers than plastic. My go-to is glass, and here is why: it’s an all-around safer option than plastic. Glass is nonporous and doesn’t allow chemicals to leach into our food like some plastics can. Glass containers are able to withstand higher heat, and some glass containers can even go from storage right into your oven for baking or heating. In general, glass is more leak-proof than plastic. Glass storage containers typically have a longer lifespan than plastic, and they are fully recyclable.
Other options for storage containers include stainless steel and bamboo.
Food Storage Bags + Wraps
Plastic bags, cling wraps and foils that were once very commonplace are becoming less and less common, and for good reason-- there are so many eco-friendly alternatives out there. There are a few different brands of reusable, zip-top silicone bags that can replace your plastic bags, like Stasher Bag and Zip Top Bags. Another great option is a product from Lunchskins-- they make a great recyclable, reusable sandwich or snack bag! Still have a stock of plastic sandwich or freezer bags that you don’t want to throw out? No worries! Just re-use those bags until you can’t anymore. I haven’t bought plastic baggies in years, but somehow still have a few of them kicking around. I just hand-wash them and re-use them until they’ve run their course.
There is also this amazing product called Bees Wrap, which is basically a waxed cotton sheet that you can use much like you would cling wrap, but you can wash and reuse them! They come in a bunch of different sizes for whatever wrapping needs you have. Helpful tip: don’t wash your bees wrap in warm or hot water, it will melt the wax… I clearly didn’t read the instructions and learned that the hard way!
VIA BEE'S WRAP
VIA STASHER
Non-Toxic Cleaners
This is a big one! So many conventional cleaning products have endocrine disrupting ingredients in them, or strip our environments of all bacteria-- good and bad, or end up dumping toxic chemicals into our water supplies. The good news is that it’s insanely easy and cost-effective to make your own household cleaners! I typically just google a recipe for whatever cleaner I run out of, and they’re usually made from things I have on-hand, like distilled white vinegar, castile soap, baking soda, etc.
Another company that I’ve used in the past that I absolutely love is Branch Basics. So, if DIY cleaners aren't your thing, BB is a great alternative!
Other Items
There are so many other products and swaps you can make to make your kitchen more eco-conscious. There are reusable paper towels like bamboo paper towels that you can machine wash, you can opt for using a reusable water bottle, stainless steel straws to swap out for plastic, etc. An amazing resource that I use frequently is Earth Hero, they make sustainability simple by curating their online shop with all eco-friendly items. So if you’re thinking of making any swaps, check their website out first!
You can use my link to save 10% off your order!
VIA EARTH HERO