Reusable mesh produce bags
In order to avoid those thin produce bags at the store that you use for maybe 30 minutes, reusable mesh produce bags are a great alternative. When going to the grocery store, this is an essential because most bundles come in various sizes and can hold large produce items, such as greens and heads of lettuce. The bags have a drawstring at the top that cinch together and keep the product secure inside. If your bags get dirty, it’s no problem because they can easily be thrown in the wash and used again.
In order to avoid those thin produce bags at the store that you use for maybe 30 minutes, reusable mesh produce bags are a great alternative. When going to the grocery store, this is an essential because most bundles come in various sizes and can hold large produce items, such as greens and heads of lettuce. The bags have a drawstring at the top that cinch together and keep the product secure inside. If your bags get dirty, it’s no problem because they can easily be thrown in the wash and used again.
Reusable bags
Just like the mesh produce bags, reusable bags are an essential for the grocery store experience. At the end of your time at the grocery store when your goods are getting bagged, the flimsy and unreliable plastic bags can be avoided by using reusable bags that are always good quality and can hold so much more. Also, some grocery stores take a certain amount off of the total or grocery store points can be earned. At our local grocery store, we get 5𝇍 off of our total per bag. Reusable bags are cheap to buy and are very durable; in the end, you could easily make your money back.
Just like the mesh produce bags, reusable bags are an essential for the grocery store experience. At the end of your time at the grocery store when your goods are getting bagged, the flimsy and unreliable plastic bags can be avoided by using reusable bags that are always good quality and can hold so much more. Also, some grocery stores take a certain amount off of the total or grocery store points can be earned. At our local grocery store, we get 5𝇍 off of our total per bag. Reusable bags are cheap to buy and are very durable; in the end, you could easily make your money back.
Tupperware
While reusable Tupperware is essential in the kitchen, it is also necessary in the grocery store. If you are going to buy bagels or donuts from the bakery, rather than using another plastic bag, the reusable containers can be used instead. Check with the cashiers or managers in the grocery store before bringing your own Tupperware to make sure it is okay to use and also, the cashiers can adjust prices depending on the weight of the container so they know what to take off.
While reusable Tupperware is essential in the kitchen, it is also necessary in the grocery store. If you are going to buy bagels or donuts from the bakery, rather than using another plastic bag, the reusable containers can be used instead. Check with the cashiers or managers in the grocery store before bringing your own Tupperware to make sure it is okay to use and also, the cashiers can adjust prices depending on the weight of the container so they know what to take off.
Glass jars
Glass jars are a great item to bring to the grocery store because rather than choosing the plastic container to fill with seeds/granola, used mason jars, jelly containers, etc. can be used in place. Depending on your average grocery store, there may or may not be bulk item containers. Locally, places like the Natural Market or Whole Foods allow the customer to bring glass jars to fill. Also, depending on the grocery store that you choose you may even be able to make your own choice of candy, spices, coffee beans, and peanut butter in the store.
Glass jars are a great item to bring to the grocery store because rather than choosing the plastic container to fill with seeds/granola, used mason jars, jelly containers, etc. can be used in place. Depending on your average grocery store, there may or may not be bulk item containers. Locally, places like the Natural Market or Whole Foods allow the customer to bring glass jars to fill. Also, depending on the grocery store that you choose you may even be able to make your own choice of candy, spices, coffee beans, and peanut butter in the store.
Personal packaging for bread and meats
Depending on the grocery store, they package fresh bread, meats, and fish in different ways. You can bring your own packaging to wrap your loaf of bread in and if the grocery store does not use paper for their meats, you can bring your own as long as it is sanitary for the store. Once again, check with management to make sure this is allowed in your store.
Depending on the grocery store, they package fresh bread, meats, and fish in different ways. You can bring your own packaging to wrap your loaf of bread in and if the grocery store does not use paper for their meats, you can bring your own as long as it is sanitary for the store. Once again, check with management to make sure this is allowed in your store.
Avoid pre-cut produce in excess plastic packaging
Rather than buying the picture-perfect produce that comes pre-cut, buy the produce without the excess plastic packaging. If you are making a salsa, don’t buy the pre-cut onion, tomatoes, etc. Instead, cut the produce yourself. Pick your own apples and oranges rather than buying the bunch that comes in the netting. Conveniency is not always best.
Rather than buying the picture-perfect produce that comes pre-cut, buy the produce without the excess plastic packaging. If you are making a salsa, don’t buy the pre-cut onion, tomatoes, etc. Instead, cut the produce yourself. Pick your own apples and oranges rather than buying the bunch that comes in the netting. Conveniency is not always best.
Tips!
Try shopping for your produce at a farmer’s market. We went to our local farmer’s market and the farmer’s work very hard on their beautiful produce. Support the small farmers and make sure you’re bringing your own bags and cash with you!
Only buy what you need. A lot of times, people buy in bulk and the rest of the food goes to waste. Think logically and buy what you know you will eat. You can always go back to get more, but you can’t return it.
Buy items in glass jars rather than plastic packaging. When looking for peanut butter, jelly, olive oil, pasta sauce, etc. look for the brands that use glass jars rather than plastic because the glass can be reused and repurposed. Also when glass and plastic is recycled, the glass is 100% recyclable meaning that it does not degrade overtime and does not lose any quality. Plastic however can only be reused so many times and eventually when it is recycled, it loses its quality and degrades.12
Buy loose leaf tea rather than tea in tea bags. To use loose leaf tea, all you need is a tea infuser that you place in your hot water. It works the same as a tea bag except it’s reusable (the tea infuser) and no waste is being created. Tea bags are not compostable and have to go to a landfill. Once your loose leaf tea has been fully strained, the remainder can be thrown into a compost.
Instead of buying peanut butter, you can make your own in the grocery store. Once again, depending on your grocery store and its resources, certain stores will have peanut butter-making stations and if you bring your own jar, no waste will be created!
Rather than buying Keurig pods, coffee beans can be ground in stores. If you are a Keurig lover and dare not change your machine, there are universal reusable K-cups that allow you to put the coffee grounds directly into the pod and start brewing. Yes, a few extra steps have to be taken in order to have an eco-friendly morning when making your coffee, but it’s worth it in the end. Think about how many K-Cups you throw out!
Shop locally to support small businesses around you. Like going to the farmer’s market, find other small stores around you that employ zero-waste practices. For us, that store was Sun and Earth in Annapolis and they allowed the customer to buy spices, granola, rice, etc. in bulk. There were also many different cleaning supplies and soaps that were environmentally friendly.
Be conscious about what type of candies you buy and how you dispose of the waste. All candy wrappers that are crunchy go into the trash, however, brands like Pixy Stix and Nerds have paper packaging that can be recycled. Also, shop for chocolate in paper packaging!
Rather than buying popcorn in packaging that pops up when ready and is already slathered in butter, buy your own popcorn kernels in bulk. Whole Foods has a bulk dispenser of popcorn kernels that allows customers to buy what they need and pop it at home themselves.
Avoid trendy grocery stores that go heavy on the plastic. Places like Trader Joe’s have very intense plastic packaging and while some of your favorite goods may be there, try to avoid the ones wrapped in too much plastic. For example, their produce is all wrapped in plastic and some of the only things that come in their natural skin was apples. There wasn’t a wide variety of produce to choose from, but remember to cut your own produce and the prettiest produce isn’t always necessary.
Shop in stores that promote bruised or damaged produce. Often times, produce doesn’t make it to the shelf because it is damaged in some way, like a natural deformity, knick, bruise, etc. About half of all produce in the US doesn’t make it to the shelf and roughly $160 billion worth of produce annually is thrown away.13 Because of this, a new initiative has been started where produce stores have opened and sell only damaged produce in an effort to not let food go to waste. At the same time, some of the produce gets donated to shelters, but the majority is being thrown out.
Look for plastic bag collection bins inside and outside of the store. Often times, grocery stores will take in plastic bags that were used to transport food home and collect it so that it can be properly recycled. The grocery store itself is not recycling the plastic bags, but they are taking them to the landfill where the bags are further processed. Because of this, rather than clogging up the grocery store bin, you could take the bags directly to the landfill yourself.
Try shopping for your produce at a farmer’s market. We went to our local farmer’s market and the farmer’s work very hard on their beautiful produce. Support the small farmers and make sure you’re bringing your own bags and cash with you!
Only buy what you need. A lot of times, people buy in bulk and the rest of the food goes to waste. Think logically and buy what you know you will eat. You can always go back to get more, but you can’t return it.
Buy items in glass jars rather than plastic packaging. When looking for peanut butter, jelly, olive oil, pasta sauce, etc. look for the brands that use glass jars rather than plastic because the glass can be reused and repurposed. Also when glass and plastic is recycled, the glass is 100% recyclable meaning that it does not degrade overtime and does not lose any quality. Plastic however can only be reused so many times and eventually when it is recycled, it loses its quality and degrades.12
Buy loose leaf tea rather than tea in tea bags. To use loose leaf tea, all you need is a tea infuser that you place in your hot water. It works the same as a tea bag except it’s reusable (the tea infuser) and no waste is being created. Tea bags are not compostable and have to go to a landfill. Once your loose leaf tea has been fully strained, the remainder can be thrown into a compost.
Instead of buying peanut butter, you can make your own in the grocery store. Once again, depending on your grocery store and its resources, certain stores will have peanut butter-making stations and if you bring your own jar, no waste will be created!
Rather than buying Keurig pods, coffee beans can be ground in stores. If you are a Keurig lover and dare not change your machine, there are universal reusable K-cups that allow you to put the coffee grounds directly into the pod and start brewing. Yes, a few extra steps have to be taken in order to have an eco-friendly morning when making your coffee, but it’s worth it in the end. Think about how many K-Cups you throw out!
Shop locally to support small businesses around you. Like going to the farmer’s market, find other small stores around you that employ zero-waste practices. For us, that store was Sun and Earth in Annapolis and they allowed the customer to buy spices, granola, rice, etc. in bulk. There were also many different cleaning supplies and soaps that were environmentally friendly.
Be conscious about what type of candies you buy and how you dispose of the waste. All candy wrappers that are crunchy go into the trash, however, brands like Pixy Stix and Nerds have paper packaging that can be recycled. Also, shop for chocolate in paper packaging!
Rather than buying popcorn in packaging that pops up when ready and is already slathered in butter, buy your own popcorn kernels in bulk. Whole Foods has a bulk dispenser of popcorn kernels that allows customers to buy what they need and pop it at home themselves.
Avoid trendy grocery stores that go heavy on the plastic. Places like Trader Joe’s have very intense plastic packaging and while some of your favorite goods may be there, try to avoid the ones wrapped in too much plastic. For example, their produce is all wrapped in plastic and some of the only things that come in their natural skin was apples. There wasn’t a wide variety of produce to choose from, but remember to cut your own produce and the prettiest produce isn’t always necessary.
Shop in stores that promote bruised or damaged produce. Often times, produce doesn’t make it to the shelf because it is damaged in some way, like a natural deformity, knick, bruise, etc. About half of all produce in the US doesn’t make it to the shelf and roughly $160 billion worth of produce annually is thrown away.13 Because of this, a new initiative has been started where produce stores have opened and sell only damaged produce in an effort to not let food go to waste. At the same time, some of the produce gets donated to shelters, but the majority is being thrown out.
Look for plastic bag collection bins inside and outside of the store. Often times, grocery stores will take in plastic bags that were used to transport food home and collect it so that it can be properly recycled. The grocery store itself is not recycling the plastic bags, but they are taking them to the landfill where the bags are further processed. Because of this, rather than clogging up the grocery store bin, you could take the bags directly to the landfill yourself.