Frozen Food
The area in which I struggle that most to reduce single use plastics is in food packaging. I can't be too hard on myself because I have switched to buying somethings not in plastic, but there are still some food items that I continue to purchase that are in plastic packaging. The freezer items in my weekly grocery haul that come in plastic are deli ham, frozen chicken tenderloins, vegetables, pepperoni, and pizza crusts. For some of these items I cannot find zero waste alternatives at my grocery store and that is why I still purchase them. For example the only type of broccoli that my grocery store sells is in plastic, whether it is a head of raw broccoli or frozen broccoli. I was completely Low FODMAP for six months and only recently started reintroducing foods. One food that I will be reintroducing later in February is beans. If all goes well I will stop buying ham and switch to beans as my source of protein with my lunch. Not only is this a zero waste switch because I can buy beans in bulk, but it also promotes other environmental practices of lessening the amount of meat that you consume. I have to admit that most of the reason I continue to purchase these foods packaged in plastic is because its a habit and making the switch to an alternative takes time, thought, and sometimes more money.
Other Foods
Some other products that I purchase that come in plastic bottles, jars, or tubs are almond butter, ketchup, and vegan margarine. Again the reason for most of reason I continue to purchase these items is because its habit. Once I know wether or not I can handle high-fructose corn syrup then I will look into buying ketchup that is not Low FODMAP and comes in a glass bottle instead of plastic. I use almond milk for baking, but can never finish a whole carton before the expiration date, so I buy the individually bottled 8 oz. almond milks. I have the appliances necessary to make almond milk and almond butter at home, but honestly I am not motivated to do so right now. I am usually not one to choose convince over the environment, but that seems to be my excuse right now. With my food restrictions its hard to find flours and chocolate chips in the bulk section that I can eat, so certainly I am buying them in plastic packaging. What I need to do is find a bulk store that sells a flour and chocolate that I can have and just stalk up. One baking item that I have tried numerous times to buy in bulk at different grocery stores is brown sugar. I have yet to find a store that sells it, so I continue to buy it in a box that then has the sugar in plastic. My mom bought me some tea not knowing that I am mostly drinking loose leaf tea, I am using those up but don't plan on buying any more. Also let me know if you know of any mint or peppermint loose leaf tea that I can buy in bulk. I am struggling to find some that doesn't have plastic packaging.
Personal Items
One area of my life that I know and have accepted that will continue to produce plastic waste is when it comes to my health. I rely on a number of prescriptions ranging from pills to face washes for acne for health reasons. When it comes to the plastic that I produce from my prescriptions I always recycle them properly either by talking them to a recycling center or to my pharmacy. I have mentioned this before, but one of my favorite ways to pamper myself is to paint my nails. This is something that I do every week. I have looked into eco-friendly and zero waste alternatives to the products that I use, but I simply don't have the money to buy these things when I already have supplies that I am working to use up. I know when it comes to living a zero waste lifestyle you have to be willing to give up certain things, but right now painting my nails brings me joy and I am not willing to give it up. When it comes to toilet paper I continue to buy it from the grocery store in the plastic because I do not have it in my grocery budget to purchase it from somewhere like Seventh Generation from Amazon or Who Gives A Crap.
Online Purchases
When it comes to some of the zero waste items that I purchase online, they always seem to come in plastic packaging no matter if I request for a box or not. For example I bought another tube of David's Natural Tooth Paste and the Amazon packaging was plastic. This is one area that I cannot avoid due to the fact that I can only purchase bamboo toothbrushes and David's Natural Toothpaste from Amazon.
If you are working towards zero waste don't be discouraged if you run into struggles just like I have. Certainly I am struggling with eliminating the convenience of some products, changing habits, and the money required to make some of the switches. Let me know in the comments what zero waste struggles you are facing.
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