3B NEED TO KNOW Kitchen and Grocery Shopping

Many of these suggestions veer towards zero waste and sustainable lifestyle so these are merely suggestions that build on the less-plastic lifestyle If they are of Interest

Kitchen

o Bees/Vegan wax wraps to cover food rather than plastic wrap Video: how to make

o Cloth napkins that can be rewashed and hung dry

o Glass jars (collect these over time rather than buy them)

o Large glass carafes or empty bottles for water, juices etc.

o Swap a kitchen sponge for a coconut husk or copper scrubber (cut up a loofah if the others are hard to find)

o Use rags or old cloth/fabric instead of paper towels

o Favour containers in glass, stainless steel or ceramic

o Slowly replace plastic cutting boards with wood or bamboo

o Glass storage containers or tins (for any new purchases) or leftover old glass jars for storage

o Slowly swap out Teflon coated pans for stainless steel

o Use loose leaf tea with a strainer or tea caddy instead of tea bags

o Try to make it yourself or grow your own

o Kitchen compost bin (or outdoors but turn it over regularly to ensure it remains aerobic)

o Refillable soap dispenser (bought in bulk in refillable container)

o Use a SodaStream for carbonated water instead of buying in store.

Grocery Shopping

This requires some experimentation, some interesting dialogue with shop assistants and even some pushback. Your experiences are part of this journey. Some supermarkets are already making this easier but it is always a journey of discovery.

o Change the way you shop – visit the bulk store or local markets to buy package-free and organic and locally produced goods.

www.zerowastehome.com/app

This may require learning on what days the local markets are held and what is available in your area

o Prepare by having a large bag/collapsible box/trolley with all you need for the market

o Cloth produce bags are best – as many as possible in varying sizes (sew these from old t-shirts if you are handy)

o Bees/Vegan wax wraps - ask at the cheese counter to place cheese in the wrap

o Brown paper/container for meat –safer than plastic

o Fish might require a container to avoid leakage if the fish seller will accept this

o Bring some glass or tiffin containers if the shop offers take away foods or liquids

o Bring your own bottles in case you can fill up with OJ or fresh juices or milk

o Egg cartons if loose eggs are offered

o If caught without bags: unpackaged fruit can be weighed without a bag

o Even in “normal” grocery stores –ask if they can fill your containers or beeswax/vegan wraps!

o At a zero waste/bulk store – come with lots of containers, bottles with lids, and cloth bags to put produce in. The containers will be weighed first, and then the product is added and then then the container weight is deducted.

The challenge is to avoid foods wrapped in plastic – how much can you avoid and what must you have?