If you follow my blog at all then you will know that I am an environmental studies student who is very passionate about lessening the amount of waste I produce and providing education to those who want to do the same. In this blog post I will share some of my favorite zero waste and eco-friendly kitchen products.
Bamboo Kitchen Utensil Set
The first product that I recommend for making your kitchen zero waste or more eco-friendly is to purchase a bamboo kitchen utensil set. When I say this I don't mean that you have to go out and buy it now, but when the utensils you have break or no longer work then you can purchase bamboo utensils instead of plastic. I purchased mine from Nordstrom Rack and it was wrapped in plastic. The only thing I would make sure before you purchase a set is to ask or read to find out if the product is wrapped in plastic for shipping purposes and try to avoid that as much as possible.
Bamboo Cutting Board
Similar to the bamboo utensils buying a bamboo cutting board is a more sustainable option because the wood is biodegradable. When purchasing a cutting board I would also make sure it is not wrapped in plastic. To avoid this you could purchase it in store.
Travel Bamboo Utensils
I decided to purchased a set of bamboo utensils to travel with so that I didn't have to worry about carrying around the extra weight of metal utensils. If you are constantly traveling them bamboo utensils are the way to go because you can take them through airport security. They are not a necessity but are the preferred option to plastic silverware.
Knife Set
Even though purchasing a knife set that has all wooden handles may be more expensive initially, they will last longer in the end compared to plastic and are better for the environment. Another thing to be careful for with this item is that again it can be wrapped in plastic.
Cloth Napkins
Get rid of the paper towels!! Switching to cloth napkins from paper towels is definitely a lifestyle change that will taking time and patience. Its not easy, but if you are willing to make the change then its possible. Lucky for me my mom knows how to sew (I do too, I just don't have a sewing machine at my apartment) and she made me cloth napkins for Christmas. I either recommend making or buying cloth napkins and keeping them in a basket on the counter along with a basket for the dirty napkins. For me I don't go through too many in a week and they don't get too messy so I just through them in either with my weekly laundry load or with my towels.
Reusable Food Storage Bags
Reusable silicone storage bags are one of my favorite zero waste product to talk about. I literally use them for everything inside and outside of the kitchen. They can hold liquids and not leak!! Also they can be used to steam vegetables on the stove and to keep food frozen in the freezer. I also use my reusable bags to store my medications and some personal care products that leak when I travel because they can easily be cleaned out in the dishwasher.
Glass Food Storage Containers
A product that I was so excited to purchase for my apartment was glass food storage containers. I planned on meal prepping, which I successfully do each week, and knew that I wanted to use glass instead of plastic. I use Glass Lock and purchased it on sale at Bed Bath and Beyond. The lids are made of plastic, but after watching and reading reviews, I was okay with having some plastic because I knew that they had the best seal. I only use my in the fridge and don't put them in the microwave even though you can do so.
Reusable Grocery Bags
Switching to reusable grocery bags from paper and plastic is a eco-friendly practice that has so many benefits for the environment. Reusable grocery bags reduce pollution, plastic production, air pollution, reduce your carbon footprint, and much more. I always recommend keeping a reusable grocery bag in your car and a small foldable or pouch bag in your purse or handbag.
Metal Straws
Metal straw for the win!! Not only are metal straws more aesthetically pleasing compared to plastic straws, but they are also helping to reduce plastic pollution that ends up in the landfills and the ocean. On Amazon you can even buy foldable metal straws that attract to your keys.
Glass Jars
Whenever I buy a food item that is in a glass jar I keep it to then use again in the kitchen. One of the new things that I am using glass jars for is to store citrus peels to make a homemade cleaner. I'll make sure to update the blog or Instagram on how the cleaner turns out. Glass jars are perfect to store bulk items and homemade recipes as well.
Cloth Produce Bags
Another great zero waste kitchen item are cloth produce bags. I not only use cloth produce bags for fruits and vegetables, but I also use them for bulk items like quinoa and oatmeal. At the grocery store I shop at I am charged for the weight of the container I get the bulk items in, so using a light weight produce bag is the best option for me financially. If you choose to you can easily transfer the bulk items from a cloth produce bag into a glass jar once you get home.
Reusable Cupcake/Muffin Liners
This next item is one of my favorite and I literally talk about them all the time. Reusable silicone cupcake or muffin liners are a kitchen staple. They can be used to make muffins, cupcakes, egg muffins, meatloaf, literally anything. I also use them as mini bowls for chocolate chips and to keep my reusable tea strainer in after I have steeped my tea.
Silicone Baking Mat
Ditch the parchment paper and starting using a silicone baking mat. I was gifted two silicone baking mats for Christmas and they get used all the time. They are great for baking cookies, pizza, roasting vegetables and really anytime you could think of. They also keep your cookie sheet or baking pan clean. The only problem that I have found is that with constantly using olive oil on them they still have a oily feeling to them even after being properly washed.
Loose Tea Steeper
If you love tea then make the switch to loose tea from tea bags. I have tea time everyday. I purchased a inexpensive plastic tea steeper that works perfectly fine, but once it breaks I will be purchasing a higher quality metal steeper instead.
Compost
There are plenty of at home compost bins, but a simple way to start is to just start collecting food scraps in a plastic Tupperware, glass or metal container and storing it in you freezer. I have yet to start composting, but just gained access to a composting collection bin within my area and plan on starting as soon as my school semester is finished. I will be updating the blog on my progress with composting once I get started.
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