Cutting back on excessive waste in your home is easier said than done, but one of the best places to start is in your kitchen. Practices like meal prepping and planning can help you cut back on food waste, and at-home composting can extend the life of your food scraps. But, before you can do all that, you’ll have to navigate the grocery store minefield full of single-use bags, plastic containers and produce galore.
What is sustainable grocery shopping?
The average American household wastes almost a third of its purchased food each year, and spoiled food tossed in the trash isn’t as innocuous as you may think. Spoiled food in the trash also means wasted dollars out of your wallet, so sustainable shopping won’t only help eliminate food waste; it’ll help your bank account too.
Streamline your shopping trip by planning out your meals for the week and having a set list of items to grab at the grocery store. Sticking to a list of essentials will help prevent excess food from ending up in your cart and therefore your trash. At home, you can maximize the life of your groceries by using airtight containers or freezing meals and ingredients to enjoy later. Other practices like decreasing your meat and dairy intake, composting, growing your own food and getting more familiar with food labels are all steps in the right direction toward becoming more sustainable.
Why you should avoid plastics when grocery shopping
On top of food waste, grocery stores are full of single-use plastic bags and containers that hold produce, snacks and other goods. You’ve probably grabbed a plastic bag off the roll countless times, but how quickly does that bag end up in the trash? Plastics can take anywhere between 10 and 1,000 years to degrade, which means all of those bags really start adding up. Thankfully, by just using reusable tote and produce bags, you can cut down your waste by a lot.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the thought of restructuring your grocery routine, we’ve rounded up some products that will help make your weekly grocery trips as sustainable as possible. And the good news is, you probably already have a few of these things on hand and ready for your next grocery run.
What you need to grocery shop sustainably
Paper or plastic? How about neither. Ditch the grocery store bags for reusable totes. Chances are, you probably already have a few reusable bags in your home, so before you buy a new set, use what you already have on hand. But, if you do need some more heavy-duty bags, consider this collapsible option. Each bag can support up to 65 pounds and will sit upright in your trunk, helping to prevent any unforeseen spillage (though, if things do get messy, these bags are also easy to clean).
These clever, reusable grocery bags have insulation on the inside and removable rods so you can hang them in your cart. They also feature a specific egg carton holder to keep your precious eggs safe.
These super-small, packable bags are easy to stash in your car so you're always ready for a grocery haul. Plus, they can hold up to 50 pounds thanks to their recycled ripstop nylon.
Skip the plastic produce bags too by bringing along reusable versions. Small swimsuit, laundry or other bags can definitely get the job done, but these mesh produce bags are extra convenient since they're see-through, which makes checkout easy, and washable, so you won’t have any herbs or fallen leaves lingering in your bags. Just throw these bags back into your totes after you unpack you grocery haul so you won't be without them on your next supermarket run.
This set comes with 13 total bags — four small, four medium, four large and one carry bag — so you can properly stash everything from a single jalapeño to a whole bunch of bananas. Plus, all of Cottify's bags are made with organic cotton, according to the brand.
You're going to need a lot of produce bags when you go shopping, which is why this nine-pack is an essential. These bags are transparent, so you can see what's inside of them, and each weighs less than a third of an ounce, so you don't have to take your produce out of the bag to weigh it.
Once you have all your groceries, you don't want them sliding around in your trunk. That's why this organizer can help make your grocery trips easier and more orderly.
While prepackaged and -chopped fruits and veggies are convenient, you'll always end up with extra waste from plastic containers. Instead, opt for whole produce and prep it at home with the help of a chef's knife. Buying whole produce is also normally cheaper, so your wallet will thank you too.
Instead of using plastic baggies, store your prepped veggies in reusable bags or containers. We love these Stasher bags that can withstand the freezer, the microwave and the dishwasher. They can also be used as a sous vide method in boiling water. Unlike those flimsy plastic snack bags, you can enjoy the same Stasher bag for years to come.
If you’re big on cereal, snacks or other things that tend to go stale quickly, a couple of airtight storage canisters can help keep things fresh for longer, meaning you’ll waste less in the long run. These simply designed jars come in two sizes and 10 different colors. Plus, they look good enough to leave out on your counter for easy access.
These cube trays can tackle ice, but they also work for storing leftover soups and sauces or wilting herbs. Before your cilantro, minced garlic or dill goes bad, mix it with melted butter or oil, pour in these squares and pop the whole thing into the freezer. Now you'll have fancy, single-serving herb butter (or oil) to cook with on the ready.
Mason jars are the ultimate food storage solution. Many food items, like jam, mustard and pasta sauces, are sold in these jars, so instead of buying new ones, rinse out what you have on hand and put them to work. If you don’t tend to buy these kinds of items, you can always buy a set of jars and lids, which you can use to store leftovers (in the fridge and freezer), shake up salad dressings and even beautifully display a bouquet of fresh flowers.