Food waste is undoubtably a major sustainability concern, but we can’t forget about food packaging waste!
The wasted 30-40 percent of the food supply rightfully deserves public attention but food packaging waste cannot be overlooked.
Food packaging is important for transporting food from producers to manufacturers safely and effectively. That said, it can get pretty excessive (think plastic bags within cardboard within plastic again).
And while many food companies are making more concerted efforts to cut down on packaging, plenty are still lagging. Plus, aside from packaged, shelf-stable foods, there’s also lots of plastic packaging utilized in grocery stores for fresh produce, meats, fish, and deli items.
The Problem With Plastic
Plastic waste is a massive global environmental problem. In fact, humans produce over 450 million metric tons of plastic waste per year and if nothing is done to address this problem, that number it set to triple to well over a billion tons per year by 2060.
But plastic can be recycled, so it’s not that big of a deal, right? Wrong, unfortunately.
A shocking 2022 Greenpeace report found only five percent of plastic waste in the U.S. was actually recycled into something new in 2021. This was due to a variety of factors include facility capacity, facilities not having the appropriate equipment for proper breakdown of various types of plastic, and more.
This means that much of the plastic produced on earth is either sitting in a landfill, waterway, or the ocean. I’m sure you’ve seen images or videos of the devastating consequences of plastic on aquatic animal and plant life.
Well the most common types of plastic found in the ocean have to do with food, including food wrappers, drink bottles, straws, cups, plates, bottle caps, and single-use plastic bags.
This is partly how microplastics are making their way into our food (and our bodies). Microplastics can enter into the water supply used to water food crops through leaching from coastal areas and landfills. Microplastics can also leach directly into food and beverages through plastic food packaging.
At this point, it’s reasonable to assume based on the data we have that there is some plastic in all of our bodies — and researchers are learning that it doesn’t leave as easily as it comes. While the research is still developing, scientists believe that microplastics may lodge in our organs and cause major health consequences.
Reducing Plastic In the Kitchen and at the Grocery Store
Despite some of these sobering statistics, there are so many ways you can reduce your plastic consumption related to food. Here are some of my top tips:
- Shop in Bulk: Bulk food stores are becoming more and more popular and can really help you cut down on food packaging consumption. I’m talking about the stores full of big tubs and dispensers that require you to bring your own containers to carry your food home. Mega-chain wholesale retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club can also be helpful in this regard, especially for staples like flour, oil, etc. However, there are some items at these stores that utilize excessive amounts of plastic packaging, think warehouse-sized packages of individual snack packs.
- Cook and Prep More: This tip may seem obvious but it can really make a difference. Cooking more means less packaging-intensive take-out orders and prepared grocery store food. Take your kitchen endeavors to the next level by making your own nut butter, grinding your own flour, whipping up your own mayonnaise…you get the picture. While these culinary pursuits may seem intimidating they are actually really simple with the right kitchen appliances.
- Grow Your Own Food: There are few things more fulfilling than a successful summer garden, but did you know that you can actually grow your own food year-round, regardless of the climate you live in? Whether it be window herb gardens or lettuce grown under grow lights, there are tons of ways to reduce your reliance on food packaging through at-home gardening. Learn more about growing food in your home here!
- Always Have Your Reusable Bottles: Whether it’s for your water on the go or olive oil at the bulk food store, having an arsenal of reusable bottles at your disposal is a super smart move for reducing food packaging waste.
- Say ‘No Thanks’ to Straws: I’m the first to say that straws are convenient and fun to use. But the plastic disposable straws used at most fast casual and dining establishments are almost never recyclable. Thankfully, many food businesses are investing in updated cups that don’t require straws or opt for biodegradable straws. But you can also bring your own reusable straw and get the best of both worlds — enjoying your straw and keeping it too!
- Opt for Low-Packaging Products: Shop with packaging in mind. For example, instead of buying individual pretzel snack packs, opt for a big bag and divide it out at home into silicone snack-sized reusable bags. There’s a big spectrum here where some people might not even purchase a product solely because it’s encased in copious amounts of unnecessary packaging.
- Ditch the Zip Top Bags: As I started to allude to in the previous tip, ditching zip top single-use plastic bags can be a great way to reduce your food packaging waste and plastic consumption. There are plenty of brands offering alternatives that you can wash and reuse for years to come.
- Bring Your Own Bags to the Grocery Store: And my final tip is to bring your own bags to the grocery store — both for carrying your food out of the store and for your produce. There are lots of brands that offer bags specifically for these purposes, but you also don’t need to spend a dime here if you don’t want to (or can’t). Any bag you have at home can be used for carrying produce and groceries out of the supermarket.
Brands Helping You Reduce Your Reliance on Plastic
*This part of the post may contain affiliate links, learn more about what that means here.
There are so many brands that offer eco-friendly, zero waste, plastic free, or minimal plastic products to help you cut down on food packaging waste. Here are a handful of my favorites and what they offer:
Food Huggers
This company produces the cutest array of ‘huggers’ for a variety of foods — from avocado, citrus fruits, and veggies to cheese and butter. These huggers help to keep your food fresh without zip top bags or even food storage containers. The brand also offers reusable zip top, coffee, and fabric bags for sandwiches, produce, and more.
Shop Food Huggers Best SellersFree the Ocean
Free the Ocean is committed to reducing the plastic waste piling up in our oceans by selling a wide array of plastic-free products, including kitchen items. Plus, proceeds from each purchase go to non-profits dedicated to removing and repurposing plastic waste from the ocean. Some of my favorites include produce bags, plastic-free sponges, reusable dishcloths, bee’s wrap (a great alternative to plastic wrap), compostable kitchen bags, wooden dish brushes, and more.
Shop Free the Ocean Products Here!
Zero Waste Store
This creative online stores elevates brands prioritizing sustainability through selling a variety of reusable, often plastic-free items. Their kitchen selection is impressive, offering cute compost bins, silicone baking mats, straws, mesh bags, and more.
Shop Now at Zero Waste StoreRepurpose
If you absolutely need single-use dishes and flatware for a party, picnic, or outdoor event, Repurpose is a great company to turn to. They offer a wide array of compostable kitchenwares including plates, bowls, hot and cold cups, straws, flatware, and kitchen bags, just to name a few.
Save 15% off green household products at Repurpose.com. Click here to save.Simple Switch
For a more chic selection of sustainable kitchen products, look no further than Simple Switch. They offer adorably designed bowl covers, flatware (both reusable and compostable), tumblers, straws, serving trays, aprons, cooler bags, napkin holders, coasters…the list could go on and on.
Check out what Simple Switch has to offer!
Lochtree
From reusable drip coffee filters to reusable water bottles, coffee cups, and cold brewing kits, Lochtree offers a plethora of reusable kitchen products that the whole family will love!
Discover Lochtree Products Here!
EarthShopp
And finally we have Earthshopp, which carries a range of plastic-free kitchen products including cutting boards, kitchen cloths, silicone travel wine glasses, bamboo jar lids, dish drying racks, stainless steel storage containers, soap dispensers and more!
So while the battle to reduce our food packaging waste and reliance on plastic is certainly uphill, through making conscientious choices in our everyday life, especially in the kitchen, we can collectively move towards a more sustainable future.
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